More Than Just Comrades
by Kazuma12
Summary: When Sasuke Uchiha begins to have intimate feelings for Naruto, he simply tries to ignore them. But after constantly having erotic dreams about the dobe and having urges to hold him, Sasuke is forced to face reality and confess his feelings. My first fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only this story.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Hey, my name is Kazuma12 and this is my first yaoi fanfiction. It involves boy x boy, so if you don't like it, LEAVE NOW! This story is about Sasuke discovering his feelings for Naruto and what happens after he confesses his feelings. It takes place a few days after Teams 7's fight with Zabuza and Haku. Also, even though they are genin, in this story, ninjas still go the ninja academy at least until they reach chunin level. I'll let you know when a lemon chapter is about to come up, so don't fret over that. Also, in this story, Naruto does have the kekkei genkai called the Rinnegan that he can turn on and off. I added this feature because I thought it would be cool and I want Naruto to have a kekkei genkai. Other than that, the story will follow close with the anime, but my version of it. Let me know what you guys think about it. If there's anything you want to happen, let me know and I'll add it in as best I can. I'm still deciding on whether or not this will be mpreg, but it probably won't be. PLEASE, tell me what you guys think. If it's sucks, tell me. If it's great, tell me. This is my first fanfic, so please say what's on your mind and feel free to review more than once. One more thing, there will be a little Sakura bashing, but not very much. Okay on with the story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 1**

**Prologue**

Sasuke Uchiha woke up to the sound of his blaring alarm clock. He let it ring several more times before banging his fist on the snooze button, and sitting up to rub the sleep from his eyes.

'_Why another day?_' thought Sasuke as he got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. After washing his face, and brushing his teeth and hair, Sasuke went back to his room to find something to wear. It only took him a minute to pull out his blue shirt with the Uchiha emblem on the back and a pair of beige shorts. With his signature frown marring his features, Sasuke made his way downstairs and made a quick breakfast consisting of toast, bacon, and whole grain cereal. Once done, he tossed dishes in the sink, slipped on his blue shinobi sandals and his backpack, and then headed out the door. After locking his apartment door, Sasuke started in his usual trek to the Ninja Academy, already wishing the day was over with.

And that was it how it all started out, just like any other day in Konohagakure. However, little did Sasuke know that this day wasn't going to be like any other. In fact, it would change his entire life.

**Ok, there's the first chapter. It's short but I decided to end it there for now. The actually story will begin in Chapter 2. Review and tell me what you guys think so far.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Alright, here's chapter 2. There's not much to say here, so enjoy the story and be sure to tell me what you think. Also, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura are 14.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 2**

Sasuke sat lazily with his feet on the desk and listening to music on his IPod while waiting for class to begin. Right now there were only a handful of kids in the classroom since it was still kind of early, and it was only time of day when Sasuke could get some time to himself during class. None of the other kids bothered Sasuke and that's just the way Sasuke liked it. If any of them got bold and tried to approach him, all it took was one famous Uchiha glare and they would back away.

After listening to a few more songs, Sasuke put his IPOD away and pulled out a book to read instead. There was still 25 minutes before class started, but the classroom started to get crowded as people started arriving. Sasuke decided to take the opportunity to get a little reading done.

'_Why can't these quiet moments last forever_' thought Sasuke. '_If the academy could be like this all the time, I wouldn't mind coming here. Either way, as soon as I advance to chunin, I'm out of here.'_

Normally, others would be nervous about taking the Chunin Exams which were coming up in a few months, but Sasuke wasn't nervous in the least bit. He was already considered a natural genius and he had the highest grades in his class, both on the performance tests and the written tests. For him, becoming a chunin would be child's play. With all these thoughts running through his head, he couldn't help but think of the one person he absolutely hated the most: his older brother Itachi Uchiha.

'_So **he** was already a chunin by now'_ thought Sasuke. '_I'm still nowhere near his level yet_'. Itachi Uchiha, besides being Sasuke's older brother, was the child prodigy of the Uchiha clan. He graduated from the academy at age 7, mastered the sharingan (his clan's kekkei genkai) at age 8, became a chunin at age 10, and became an ANBU captain at age 13. Sasuke was so wrapped up in his brother's accomplishments that he didn't notice when Naruto showed up.

"Good morning Sasuke-bastard" said Naruto, causing Sasuke to jump slightly, but Naruto still caught it anyway.

"Whoa, I actually snuck up on you!" Naruto exclaimed. "What were you thinking about anyway that had you so lost in thought? Not that I care or anything" Of course, Naruto did care. He'd never been able to sneak up on Sasuke, at least when he tried. Sasuke was able to sense Naruto beforehand. This time, however, Naruto had surprised him without even trying. This, of course, piqued Naruto's interest as Sasuke was usually always aware of his surroundings at all times.

"I wasn't thinking about anything dobe, you just surprised me is all." replied Sasuke. "Now do me a favor and sit down and shut up."

Naruto sat down mumbling to himself, something about "Sasuke's a dick" or "at least my hair doesn't look like a duck's ass". As Naruto sat pouting, Sasuke took in Naruto's appearance. He was wearing a white shirt with an orange swirl in the center, a pair of orange pants, and his headband was worn across his forehead like a bandana. Naruto Uzumaki was the dead last of the entire class. He had the lowest grades in the class and practically everyone made fun of him. Although, to be honest, Sasuke thought Naruto may be stronger than he's actually letting on. But what really drew Sasuke's attention were Naruto's eyes. They were deep pools of blue that you could easily get lost in. It was kind of feminine. Even Naruto's face looked a little feminine, with those whisker marks on his cheeks. It was no wonder why some would think Naruto was a girl.

'_Those eyes_' Sasuke thought. '_Before, back the bridge, they looked completely different._' Sasuke thought back to the fight on the bridge in Wave Country between a rogue ninja named Zabuza Momochi and his partner Haku, a hunter ninja. Sasuke remembered it clearly as it had only been 5 days ago. Sasuke and Naruto had been trapped in Haku's kekkei genkai, crystal ice mirrors, and Sasuke had been gravely wounded in order to protect Naruto. The last thing Sasuke saw when he passed out was Naruto's eyes. They were no longer blue, but a grayish, purple color. But the most shocking thing of all was the ripple pattern around the pupil and there was red chakra swarming around Naruto. When Sasuke woke back up, He was surprised to discover Haku dead and Zabuza on the verge of death after killing his employer and his mercenaries.

On the way back home, Sasuke discovered from Kakashi sensei that Naruto's eyes had changed because of his kekkei genkai called the Rinnegan. Apparently Naruto awakened it when he thought Sasuke was dead, and the emotions did the rest. Kakashi explained that the Rinnegan is so old, that now people think it is just a myth. Other than the fact that it's stronger than both the sharingan and the byakugan (the Hyuga clan's kekkei genkai), there was nothing else known about it.

'_Naruto, what kind of power do your eyes hold?'_ Thought Sasuke. '_If only I could see it again_'.

"Hey, Earth to Sasuke! Stop staring at me you creep. Better yet take a freakin picture. It will last a lot friggin longer." yelled Naruto. He was about to continue when he heard a dreamy sigh beside him. Looking over, Naruto wasn't at all surprised to see almost every girl in the class staring at Sasuke with hearts where their eyes should be. Naruto turned back around to glare at Sasuke, who had gone back to reading his book with a bored expression.

'_Dammit, why does Sasuke always get all the attention?'_ Thought Naruto. '_I'm just as good as he is. I mean look at him, that attention loving asshole. He's just trying to play it off._'

Naruto got up on the desk and squatted down so that he was eye level with Sasuke. Sasuke, with a glare in his eyes, looked up. The glare seemed to work on everyone else except Naruto, which Sasuke secretly found amusing.

"NARUTO, GET OUT OF SASUKE-KUN'S FACE!!!? Screamed Sakura Haruno, their kunoichi teammate. She looked about ready to explode at that moment.

"Yeah, who the hell do you think you are?" Demanded Ino Yamanaka, the kunoichi of Squad 10. "You're just jealous because you're not perfect like Sasuke-kun. You should follow his example and be a real man!".

Ok, so basically every girl was absolutely in LOVE with Sasuke Uchiha. He had good looks, a cool personality, he was a skilled shinobi, and he was a genius. The guy was practically a walking chick magnet and the girls WORSHIPPED him. In fact, they would practically feint if Sasuke so much as even LOOKED their way. And they always took his side in every situation, **ALWAYS**.

Naruto ignored the girls threats and insults and continued to glare at Sasuke, their faces inches apart.

"You know, I'm really getting sick of you always hogging up the attention around here". Said Naruto. "As a matter of fact, it down-right pisses me off".

"Then get stronger than me and we won't have this problem". Sasuke shot back, making Naruto even angrier." It's not my fault you're a loser".

Just as Naruto was about to reply back, the boy behind him leaned backwards and bumped Naruto into Sasuke.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean--, what he saw next shut him up instantly as his eyes practically popped out of his head. He had just bumped Naruto into a kiss with Sasuke!!

"Oh shit…uhh..oops..my bad". The boy said.

What neither Sasuke nor Naruto realized was that this one kiss would change their lives forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Alright, here's the next chapter for you readers. You guys can take this opportunity and tell me what you think so far. Go easy on the flames okay. This is my first time writing a fan fiction and I am still getting used to this. I know that the chapters are short. That's because when I'm typing this, it seems so much longer, but when I submit it, it's short and I'm a like "Are you kidding me!?"** **The hardest thing for me is keeping everybody in character, but I'm getting the hang of it I think. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and here's chapter 3. Also there will be a lemony dream sequence for those of you who want action now. It will be next chapter so you'll have to wait. HAHAHAH I'm so evil I scare myself.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 3**

After being bumped into the kiss, Naruto and Sasuke just stayed that way, too stunned to move. The fan girls were just as surprised as anyone else. They were downright horrorified and appalled.

As strange as this sounds, Sasuke actually felt something in this kiss. Surprisingly to him, he did didn't feel disgusted. He felt…fine. Somehow, to him, this kiss felt right.

'_Wait! What the hell am I thinking!?'_ Sasuke yelled at himself. '_This is wrong!! SO WRONG!!_'

Sasuke pulled back at the same time as Naruto, both boys clutching their throats and gagging.

"Oh God, I need mouth wash!" yelled Naruto.

"I'm going to be violently ill after this" replied Sasuke. Inwardly, however, Sasuke was a battle with himself.

'_What was I thinking during this_' thought Sasuke to himself. '_I could've sworn I felt…something. No, I was just surprised, that's all. It means nothing. I like Naruto as a comrade and nothing more. I just got caught up in the moment._' After reassuring himself Sasuke allowed himself to snap back to reality.

Hearing the sound of knuckles being cracked, Naruto turned around to see every fan girl glaring at him.

"Naruto…." Sakura said in an ominous tone of voice, "You…are…so…**DEAD!!**

'_Oh_…._shit' _thought Naruto. With speed he didn't know he had, Naruto grabbed his backpack and rushed over to the empty seat beside Shikamaru Nara of Team 10. Beside him sat Choji Akimichi, also from Squad 10, stuffing his face with chips as usual.

'_I didn't Naruto could move that fast_' thought Sasuke. '_He **IS** stronger than he lets on_'.

"Naruto what are you doing?" Shikamaru asked in his bored tone of voice when Naruto sat down beside him.

"Sasuke's fan girls are trying to kill me…again." Naruto replied pointing at the group of girls that were still glaring at him, ready to pounce at any moment.

"See. I told you not to get involved." Said Shikamaru. "Women are so troublesome. I really don't see how my father has put up with my mother for so long."

"You don't mind if I sit here do you?" asked Naruto

"Go ahead, it's not I like a care." Replied Shikamaru, who then proceeded to lay his ahead down and fall asleep.

Just as the fan girls began to stalk their way toward Naruto, Iruka Umino, their sensei, walked in.

"Good morning everyone. I hope you're all ready to learn." Said Iruka sensei cheerfully.

Seeing that their chance to pound Naruto into oblivion was ruined, the fan girls returned to their seats. Sakura took the seat right beside Sasuke.

'_That was a close one_' thought Naruto '_I thought I was a real goner that time. Thank God for Iruka sensei's timing._'

Later on that day, after the academy had let out, Squad 7 was at the training field training with Kakashi Hatake, their jonin sensei. While Sasuke and Sakura trained together, Kakashi was working with Naruto, trying to get him to activate the Rinnegan. After a few failed attempts, Naruto was able to focus chakra to his eyes and his kekkei genkai awakened. While training with Naruto, Kakashi was able to discover a couple of new abilities concerning the Rinnegan. For one, it allowed Naruto use all the types of Chakra, something even highly experienced ninja like Kakashi himself cannot do. Also, whenever Naruto created shadow clones, the clones had shared vision. This means that whatever one clone saw, they all could see it. This enabled Naruto to have absolutely no blind spots, another useful ability. However, Naruto still needed work on his taijustu and ninjutsu. With the proper training, Naruto could use the Rinnegan to its fullest potential. Naruto also needed to work on how to coordinate the shadow clones with precise planning during battle with their shared vision and not just summon a huge mass of them. All Naruto needed was the right training and he be VERY powerful shinobi.

"Alright everyone, good job" Kakashi said. "You all did wonderful and I am proud to call you my students. You're all free to go now and do as you please. And Naruto, keep practicing with the Rinnegan. You're still a bit rusty."

"I know. It's sort of hard to get the hang of it" complained Naruto after his eyes had gone back to normal.

"Don't worry. With training, you'll get the hang of it in no time at all" Kakashi said while smiling. The only way you could tell he was smiling was by looking at his only visible eye. It was curved upwards.

"So Kakashi sensei," said Naruto "why don't you treat me to some ramen for a job well done. I think I've earned it."

"Well....I suppose so." Agreed Kakashi. "But only because you did a good job today."

"HELL YEAH!!" screamed Naruto, pumping a fist in the air.

While Kakashi and Naruto walked on to Ichiraku Ramen Shop, Sakura decided to try her charm on Sasuke…again.

"So Sasuke-kun, you wanna go to the park and watch the sunset?" asked Sakura "It's really beautiful at this time of day you know."

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, but then decided against it. He was hungry and a shower sounded great right about now.

"No thanks" said Sasuke "I'm going home."

"Please Sasuke-kun" pleaded Sakura.

"I've already said no" replied Sasuke coolly walking away. "Why don't you ask Naruto? I'm sure he'd like to go." Sasuke was well aware of Naruto's crush for Sakura. He wanted to try to push them together in order to keep Naruto away from him. The feeling he felt from that kiss still scared him a little, and Sakura's next words told him, however, that Sakura and Naruto getting together wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"What? Hell no!" replied Sakura "Naruto is such a loser and he's so annoying. It's no wonder's he's alone and doesn't have any friends. He's tries to act cool but he's not. He'll always be a lonely pathetic fool. I don't see why we even bother with him. He has the absolute worst grades and he's weak."

Sasuke stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at the pink haired girl.

'_How can Naruto be in love with someone like her?_ thought Sasuke '_She doesn't even consider him a friend.'_

"You don't know **ANYTHING** about being alone" said Sasuke, memories of his child hood flashing through his mind "You're just as annoying yourself"

Without another word, Sasuke walked on home, leaving Sakura standing there stunned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; I do own this story though**

**Okay readers, for now this will be the last chapter. It has that lemony dream sequence I promised, SO THOSE OF YOU, WHO DON'T LIKE LEMONS, SKIP THE FIRST PART IN ITALICS!!! Tell me what you guys think so far. If there's something you want to happen, let me know. It can't be something off the wall, so make it reasonable. Naruto will gain some new abilities, but that won't happen until later on in the story. So please review and tell me your opinions. Okay, I'm sure you've gotten tired of my talking, so here's your chapter. Enjoy and review.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 4**

_Sasuke walked in through front door his apartment, or better yet, Naruto's apartment. Sasuke had just come home from a long mission and he was pretty sure he didn't live here, but somehow, it felt like home. Sasuke had just finished taking off his shoes at the door when Naruto came around the corner after hearing the front door slam. He was barefoot, wearing the white shirt with the orange swirl in the center and the orange pants. He was also wearing sky-blue nail polish on his fingernails and toenails._

_'Nail Polish'? Thought Sasuke curiously 'Since when does Naruto paint his nails?' After pondering for a few moments Sasuke decided that Naruto actually looked sexy with his nails painted. It actually sort of turned him on._

_"Teme, your home!" Naruto squealed, tackling Sasuke in a hug. "It was so quiet without you here. I missed you."_

_To say Sasuke was confused would be an understatement. But holding Naruto like this felt right somehow. Naruto leaned up gently and pressed his lips up against Sasuke's. Sasuke was getting that feeling again from the first time he kissed Naruto, but this time he didn't pull away. He wanted to see where this would go this time. In matter of seconds, the two were locked in a passionate kiss. Sasuke licked along Naruto's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Naruto gladly accepted and Sasuke's tongue snaked its way into Naruto's mouth, exploring every inch. Naruto moaned into the kiss as Sasuke subconsciously moved his further south until he gripped Naruto's ass, gently squeezing every now and then. Pulling away for air, Naruto wasted no time in pulling off his shirt, Sasuke also doing the same. Once half nude, they pressed their bodies together, enjoying each other's body warmth for a few minutes. Sasuke moved down and gently sucked one of Naruto's nipples while playing the other one, his other hand still squeezing Naruto's ass, causing the blond to squirm and moan. These simple actions caused both to be fully hard and Naruto grinded into Sasuke, their clothed erections touching._

_"Naruto, not like this" Sasuke managed to groan out. "Stop thrusting"._

_Naruto obeyed and instead began to explore Sasuke's upper body, feeling the muscles under the skin. Each touch making Sasuke harder. Naruto made is way down and undid Sasuke's pants, sliding them and his boxers off at the same time. Naruto then removed his own clothes and got on top of Sasuke, their now-bare erections having contact, causing both males to moan. Naruto quickly grinded into Sasuke and Sasuke grinded upwards into Naruto, getting more friction._

_"Yes, Naruto" Sasuke moaned 'Faster, please"_

_Naruto picked up the pace and grinded faster, both males moaning with each thrust._

_"Sasuke", said Naruto, still thrusting "I'm almost there, I can feel it"_

_"Just a little more", moaned Sasuke, feeling pressure deep in his abdomen. Finally, after a few more thrusts._

_"Yes Naruto", screamed Sasuke "I'm coming!! I'm---_

**Lemon is now over**

Sasuke bolted upright in bed, sweating profusely with a painful hard on that was sticking up under the covers.

'_It was just a dream_' thought Sasuke, calming down '_it was only a dream, nothing more_'.

But then Sasuke noticed his erection and then images of the dream came floating back to his mind.

"Why the hell did I just have an erotic dream about _Naruto _of all people?' Sasuke asked himself. '_What's wrong with me? I don't swing that way….do I?_' Sasuke pondered for a moment

'_No I don't_', Sasuke decided '_This is just a phase I'm going through. I'll be over it soon. I don't like Naruto like that._' Sasuke then looked down at his aching member, which said otherwise.

'_Right now though, I need to take care of this "problem"_.

Sasuke got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. After, "relieving" himself, Sasuke got back under the covers and fell asleep, completely unaware of the fact that he had just gotten himself off while thinking about Naruto again.

The next day at the Ninja academy, Sasuke arrived at his usual time and was surprised to see Naruto, of all people, there. Usually, at this time, Naruto would still be at home. Instantly, images from his dream came back to his mind, causing the Uchiha to blush slightly. He was about to find another seat, but Naruto caught sight of him. Waving, Naruto made his way over.

"Good morning bastard" said Naruto with a Styrofoam cup in his hand. From the smell, Sasuke could tell it was coffee.

"Naruto, why are you here so early?" asked Sasuke "And since when do you drink coffee?"

"First of all, I'm here because I needed to ask you for help with last night's homework. I would've come over to your house, but I don't know where you live." replied Naruto "and I always drink coffee, your just never around to see it. Do you want some?"

Sasuke accepted and drunk the last bit of coffee. After throwing the cup in the trash, Sasuke lead Naruto over to where he usually sits and helped Naruto with the problems he needed help on. Sasuke couldn't help but look Naruto over. Naruto was wearing an orange jumpsuit that had black shoulder areas with orange pants. Looking further down, Sasuke was surprised to Naruto's toes were painted with sky-blue nail polish, including his fingernails!

'_Just like the dream_' thought Sasuke.

"Hey Naruto", said Sasuke. After the blond looked up, Sasuke continued "Why are you nails painted?"

Naruto thought for a moment.

"I just felt like it", replied Naruto "Actually, everyone says that it fits me somehow since I have feminine looks anyways."

"Right", replied Sasuke "Anyway, are you finished?"

"Almost", replied Naruto, "I still have 4 problems more to do"

A few minutes later and Naruto was at his second to last problem when he stood up and removed him jumpsuit, showing the black shirt he had on underneath. Sasuke studied Naruto's body. Naruto was pretty built and the shirt clung to his muscles nicely.

"That's better", said Naruto "I was getting hot".

After staring at Naruto for a few moments Sasuke got the urge to pull Naruto close and hold him. Why, Sasuke did not know, but he wanted, no NEEDED, to hold Naruto.

'_What's wrong with me_' thought Sasuke '_Why do I want to hold him so badly?_'

Sasuke's body took on a mind of its own at that moment and it started to reach its arms out, moving closer towards Naruto. Just he was about to wrap his arms around Naruto's waist—

"MOVE IT NARUTO!!" screamed Ino "I wanna sit next to Sasuke-kun!!"

Sasuke regained control of his body at that moment and returned to his original posture. Luckily, Naruto didn't notice because he was too busy packing up his things.

"I'll see you around Sasuke" said Naruto as he got up and made his way to the seat beside Shikamaru.

"Did you miss me Sasuke-kun?" asked Ino sweetly as she sat down.

"Hn" was Sasuke's trademark reply.

'_I can't believe I almost wrapped arms around Naruto like that'_ thought Sasuke. '_That was just too close for comfort. If Ino hadn't of come…._' Sasuke trailed off in mid thought as he thought about what almost happened and what could've happened. Naruto would've been freaked out of his mind. For the very first time in his life, Sasuke wanted to thank Ino.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters**

**Okay, I figured nobody would read this thing unless it was completed, so I'll go ahead and finish as soon as I can. Hopefully I'll start getting reviews. Anyways, here's chapter 5 and I hope you enjoy. But if anyone does read this, please review and tell me what you think.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 5**

All throughout class, Sasuke couldn't stop thinking about what he had almost done to Naruto. It was like he was watching from outside of his body, watching his body move on its own and begin to wrap its arms around Naruto's waist. Sasuke had never lost control of himself like that and it scared him to no end, and the urge be near Naruto at the moment wasn't helping either.

Currently, Iruka and his class were outside throwing shurikens at dummies for target practice and also enjoying the fresh air. Sasuke, with all of his inner strength, pushed his emotions to the side and focused on the target in front of him. He threw a hand full of shurikens, each one hitting the dummy in his vital spots, with the last shuriken hitting the dummy square in the forehead. If the target were a human being, they would more than certainly be dead right now. Like always, the girls rushed over and fawned all over Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, you're so amazing" yelled one girl.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, you're so cool." Said Ino, with hearts where her eyes should be.

"Nobody has a better aim than you Sasuke-kun" said Sakura dreamily.

Sasuke, of course, paid no mind to their praises. It's not that Sasuke didn't appreciate them; they just weren't the ones he wanted praise from. Strangely, the only person's recognition he wanted was Naruto's. Looking over in Naruto's direction, Sasuke was amazed at what he saw. Naruto had hit his dummy in all of its vital spots with an aim more precise than Sasuke's. Unaware, that he had an audience, Naruto concentrated until the blades on the shuriken glowed with blue chakra. Aiming precisely, Naruto threw the shuriken and it not only went **through** the dummy's head, but also through the wooden post on which the dummy was propped up on before embedding itself in the wall. The dummy's head was split in half by the force of it. Strangely, nobody but Sasuke noticed.

'_How did Naruto just do that!?_' thought Sasuke '_He's the dead last, so he shouldn't be able to do something like. And what was that anyway?_'

Sasuke was sure of it now: Naruto was much stronger than he let on. But why hide his strength and exactly how strong was he? It didn't make sense. As Sasuke was about to make his way over to Naruto to question him, the bell rang.

"Ok everyone, time for lunch." Said Iruka sensei "Just be sure to make it back to class on time."

As everyone made their way back into the academy and to the cafeteria, Sasuke was halfway to Naruto when his stomach growled loudly.

"Questioning Naruto can wait" Sasuke said to himself. "I best get something to eat before I pass out."

Sasuke turned and made his into the academy along with everyone else. Meanwhile, Naruto stayed behind, picking the shurikens out of the dummy.

"Don't worry about those Naruto" said Iruka cheerfully "I'll clean up here. You go inside have something to eat"

"Thanks Iruka–sensei" Naruto replied. He bowed before turning and running into the Ninja Academy.

As Iruka was cleaning up, he noticed the dummy's split head and the shuriken embedded in the wall.

'_I didn't know Naruto could use the wind change in chakra nature on his blades_' Iruka thought to himself, but then shrugged and smiled. '_Good to see he's getting stronger_'

In the cafeteria, Sasuke had just gotten his lunch and sat down. It wasn't as easy as it sounded though. His fan girls kept trying to get him to sit with them, practically dragging him to their table. However, Sasuke jerked his arm out of their grasp and found an empty table against the wall near one of the windows. As he began eating, Sasuke thought back to Naruto. Lately, he just couldn't keep the blond off his mind. Besides Naruto, Sasuke was thinking back to what Naruto did with the shuriken.

'_Naruto somehow channeled chakra into his shuriken and the shuriken went through both the dummy and the wooden post_'. Sasuke thought to himself. '_But how? That's not something that a dead last, or even a genin for that matter, should know how to do. Yet Naruto did it perfectly_.' It just didn't add up. Naruto had always been ridiculed for being the weakest in the class, yet obviously he was stronger than anyone thought. So why has he hid it all this time?

'_Just how strong are you dobe_' Sasuke thought to himself. It was a question he just couldn't put away. Again, Sasuke was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Naruto showed up, surprising him yet again.

"Hey emo, mind if I sit with you?" Naruto asked as he walked up to the raven haired boy. Naruto noticed when the raven jumped slightly. He had caught Sasuke off guard twice!!

'_Looks like the almighty Sasuke Uchiha is losing his touch_' thought Naruto. '_I've never surprised him twice before. Although, I wonder what he's always thinking about? On second thought screw it, I don't even want to know what goes on in that head of his_'

Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Naruto's question. He hadn't missed the "emo" part.

"Do what you want dobe" said Sasuke "and if you ever call me an emo again, I'll kick your ass".

"Yeah whatever, I'd like to see you try asshole" Naruto replied as he sat down and began eating. As he watched Naruto eat, Sasuke noticed something. With the way the light shined on him, Naruto seemed to glow as though he were an angel. Snapping out of his weird thoughts, Sasuke decided to ask the question that had been nagging him.

"Naruto" Sasuke began. When the blonde looked at him, Sasuke continued.

"What did you do to that shuriken during target practice?" Sasuke asked.

"What do you mean?" Naruto replied. He honestly had no idea what Sasuke was talking about.

"You somehow poured chakra into the shuriken's blades and it went through the dummy's head **and** the wooden post." Sasuke said, going on further. "How did you do that?"

"Oh that". Said Naruto, realizing what Sasuke was getting at. He'd had a feeling he was being watched. Usually nobody paid attention to him, so he was surprised at the feeling, but had paid no mind to it.

"I used the wind change in chakra nature on the blades." Naruto explained. "When the cutting power of the wind is combined with a blade, the blade will cut through basically anything. Since I have a natural affinity for wind chakra, I can apply the wind's cutting power to any blade I'm holding."

"How did you learn that?" Sasuke asked amazed. Sasuke had known about the different types of chakra nature, but he had never actually seen it be used before. Sasuke realized that with this ultimate cutting power, Naruto could be….dangerous. It kind of made him a little uncomfortable, but being as he is, he did not show it. Plus, Naruto wasn't like that.

"I learned it on my own when I was training by myself as a kid". Naruto said "I'd overheard a jonin instructor explaining it to her Chunin level students. She was discovering which chakra they had an affinity for by using these special pieces of paper. All they had to do was pour some of their chakra into the piece of paper and 1 of several things would happen. If they had an affinity for fire, the paper would burn up, for wind, the paper would split in half, for lightning, the paper would crumple up, for earth, the paper would turn into dirt, and for water, the paper would become damp. I was interested, so I stole a piece of paper when nobody was looking and I put some of my chakra into it and it split in half. That's how I discovered my wind chakra affinity. At first I practiced splitting leaves in half using only the wind chakra. It took some time, but I got the hang of it before the month ended. Then I started using the wind chakra nature in blades on shuriken and kunai and I discovered that wind gave the blades the ultimate cutting power. I've practiced ever since."

Sasuke was speechless. That's the only word to describe it. Naruto had a learned a chunin level technique on his own in a few short months before he was even a genin! During that time, Sasuke was learning the fireball jutsu in order to impress his father, but that was nowhere near Naruto's accomplishment. However, there was still one more question he had to ask.

"Alright, but I have one more question." Sasuke said "Why do you hide your strength? After hearing what you just told me, I realize that you could be a strong shinobi, but you hide your power. I don't understand why."

Naruto's happy mood turned gray at that moment. Naruto was hoping that Sasuke wouldn't ask that question, but he was a fool to believe that Sasuke wouldn't notice he was hiding his potential.

'_There's no getting out of this_', thought Naruto '_so I might as well tell him_'.

Sasuke noticed Naruto's behavior change and he was starting to wish he had not asked, but he had to know. If Naruto was strong, why hide it?

"Sasuke", Naruto began, "have you heard of the Kyuubi before"

"Yes", replied Sasuke "it's the nine-tailed demon fox that attacked the village 14 years ago. Although, I don't see how that ties to you."

"Well", said Naruto "it's like this…."

Naruto told Sasuke what Iruka told him about that night. Iruka told Naruto this story after they have apprehended the rogue Leaf ninja named Mizuki for trying to steal the Scroll of Forbidden Seals, the same scroll that Naruto learned the shadow clone jutsu from. Sometime during the fight, Mizuki revealed that the fox was sealed inside Naruto, which completely confused the blonde. After Mizuki's arrest, Iruka sat Naruto down and told him everything. Now Naruto was telling that story to Sasuke. First, Sasuke learned about how Naruto's mother, Kushina Uzumaki, died after giving birth to Naruto. Then, Naruto's father, Minato Namikaze, the 4th Hokage, sealed the attacking demon fox inside Naruto in order to save the village, knowing that Naruto would need use of the fox's chakra one day. Knowing that he would die as a side-effect of the technique, Minato asked, as a last request, that Naruto be seen as the hero who saved the village. However, few honored the request, and the majority of the people openly showed their resentment to Naruto for containing the thing that had killed their loved ones and destroyed their home. They saw Naruto as the Kyuubi itself and they treated him as though he were not even a person. Some just ignored Naruto completely.

"So that's why you hide you strength." Said Sasuke, putting two and two together. "The people of this village already see you as a big enough threat. If they learn how strong you really are, they could decide to take matters into their own hands."

"Yes." Naruto replied sadly. Naruto was glad Sasuke was a genius. He figured things out so that Naruto wouldn't have to go into more detail.

"Hey Sasuke, are you going to finish those rice cakes? Naruto asked.

Sasuke handed the rice cakes to Naruto and the two continued to eat in silence.

Everything was going great. That is until, that urge to hold Naruto came back again.

'_Fuck_' thought Sasuke '_Not again. Why the fuck does this keep happening?_'

Sasuke tried his best to ignore the urge, but it got stronger and stronger the longer he sat next to Naruto. Then the unthinkable happened: he started getting hard right there in the cafeteria. That was it, he had to leave and **QUICK.**

"I have to go" Sasuke said, standing up abruptly.

"What, why? Naruto asked.

"Nothing just…..I have to go now". With that Sasuke picked up his tray, threw it in the trash and hurried back to the classroom, leaving behind a very confused Naruto.

"Was it something I said?" Naruto asked himself.

For the rest of the day, Sasuke kept his distance from Naruto. During training, Sasuke didn't even glance in Naruto's direction as he and Sakura fought. Normally, he'd take little glances at the blonde every now and then, but he wanted these dreams and urges to stop, so he was distancing himself from Naruto as much as he could. Even during their mission to escort a merchant back to Takigakure, the Village Hidden in the Waterfall, Sasuke made sure to put as much distance between him and Naruto as possible. For the rest of the week, Sasuke avoided Naruto like the plague, and so far, he'd had no urges or erotic dreams. However, like all things in life, Sasuke's good times would come to an end.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**I finally got reviews!! I only have 2, but I'm happy. I thank both of you for reading and reviewing and you're my 2 first honorary reviewers. As a warning, the chapter starts off as a lemon dream, so if you don't like those, scroll down until the italics end. Other than that, enjoy the story and tell me what you think.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 6**

_Sasuke was taking a much needed shower after his latest mission to Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone Village, during a thunderstorm. After being gone for a week and half, Sasuke had come back home looking as though he'd been rolling around in a giant mud puddle. As he was washing the soap off his body, Naruto pulled back the shower curtain, fully naked._

_"Can I join you Sasuke?" Naruto asked sweetly._

_Normally, Sasuke would wonder what was going on and why Naruto was in his house naked. However, right now, he felt like a he needed to be close to Naruto at the moment, so Sasuke only nodded instead of using verbal communication._

_Naruto stepped in and he and Sasuke began to wash themselves. After a few minutes, Naruto turned to Sasuke._

_"Hey Sasuke, why don't we wash each other? You wash me and I'll wash you, how does that sound? Naruto asked._

_Sasuke eagerly nodded and, grabbing a bar of soap, lathered his wash cloth and began to wash Naruto, starting with his back. Sasuke rubbed Naruto's body sensually, enjoying the sound of Naruto's voice when he started moaning softly. After washing Naruto's back, Sasuke turned Naruto around to let the soap wash off and instantly looked down. In only a few minutes, Naruto had become fully hard, his member standing proudly and pulsing. Naruto couldn't help but blush under Sasuke's gaze. Snapping out his trance, Sasuke first washed Naruto's chest then slowly made his way down until he reached Naruto's stiff cock. He gently washed it, giving extra attention to the head._

_"Ahh, Sasuke more" Naruto moaned._

_Sasuke complied and washed Naruto's member more firmly, slightly pulling on it and causing it to spasm a little._

_After moving on and washing Naruto's legs, Sasuke turned Naruto around to wash the soap off. Afterwards, Naruto turned back around, lathered his own rag with soap, and began to wash Sasuke's back in the same way Sasuke had washed his. After rinsing the soap off and turning Sasuke back around, Naruto was delighted to see Sasuke's dick half hard and swollen. Licking his lips, Naruto slowly washed his way downwards. After reaching his prize, Naruto gently washed Sasuke's dick, watching in erotic fascination as it became fully hard. Naruto gently washed the head, taking his time with it._

_"Naruto, ahh, oh god, please" Sasuke begged, being driven close to the edge._

_Naruto obeyed, and after washing the soap away, he wrapped his hand around Sasuke's cock and stroked it gently to arouse Sasuke further. Unable to control himself any longer, Sasuke pulled Naruto out of the shower, lifted him up, and pressed him up against the wall. Wrapping his legs around Sasuke's waist, Naruto waited patiently as Sasuke positioned himself at his entrance. With his dick still wet from the shower, Sasuke pushed into Naruto all the way and waited for Naruto to adjust. With a nod from Naruto, Sasuke began thrusting his hips in a fast steady pace, each time hitting Naruto's prostate gland._

_"Yes, more Sasuke, please, more" Naruto moaned in ecstasy_

_Sasuke smirked and began thrusting inside Naruto at a much faster pace, hitting Naruto's prostate like a bull's eye. Naruto hands tangled themselves in Sasuke's dark raven hair as the pace quickened even more. Thrusting into Naruto full force, Sasuke could feel his climax coming quickly. With his cock getting friction on Sasuke's stomach and with his prostate gland being stimulated, Naruto reached orgasm first._

_"SASUKE!! Oh God, yes, I'm there! Yelled Naruto, emptying his seed all over Sasuke's stomach and chest._

_Feelings Naruto's rectal muscles clench, Sasuke was just about to cum when—_

**[Lemon ends here]**

BRRRRRRINNNNGGG!!! Sasuke's alarm clock went off, waking him for his dream. Sasuke bolted up right in bed and pressed the "Snooze" button on his alarm clock. Immediately afterwards, Sasuke took notice of the large erection in his boxers. Sasuke had been suffering like this for a full week. In order to avoid having these dreams, Sasuke had avoided Naruto, and at first it seemed like it had worked. Sasuke had stopped having urges to hold Naruto and the dreams had stopped for the rest of the week. But starting Monday of next week, the dreams had come back. Each night, Sasuke had woken up and had to go the bathroom to relieve the "problem" in his boxers. As if that wasn't bad enough, Sasuke was experiencing….heartache. For some reason, he just felt so empty. Now it was Monday of the week after and he'd had another dream.

"I don't understand" Sasuke said to himself. "Why is this still happening? I've avoided him as best I can and I'm still having these damn dreams." Sasuke put his head in his hands and sighed as he thought about Naruto. Bad idea, because just by thinking of the blonde, Sasuke's erection twitched. Wincing, Sasuke made his way to the bathroom and ripped off a piece of tissue. Sitting on the cool toilet seat, he pulled down his boxers and, wrapping his hand around his hard flesh, Sasuke stroked himself to orgasm, cumming in the tissue as he had done all last week. After relieving himself, Sasuke made his way back to his room and got out a new pair of underwear and a new pair of clothes. After washing his face, brushing his teeth and hair, and after slipping on his clothes, Sasuke grabbed his backpack, put on his toeless, black shinobi sandals and left for the academy, locking the door behind.

'_I think I'll eat breakfast at the academy today_'. Thought Sasuke since he didn't feel like making anything.

After Sasuke got finished with his breakfast in the cafeteria, he made his way to his classroom and sat down at his usual spot. The classroom was filled with a few kids who usually arrived early. Pulling out his book on the First Shinobi World War, Sasuke enjoyed the quietness while it still lasted.

Sasuke was so wrapped up in his book that he didn't notice Naruto walk over.

"Hey you ignorant bastard, I'm sitting here whether you like or not!" Naruto yelled as he sat down beside the raven, who jumped, once again not paying attention to his surroundings. This time Naruto didn't notice. He was too upset. Sasuke had completely avoided him all last week and the week before that. Even though he would never admit, Naruto was actually hurt that Sasuke was avoiding him. He thought their friendship was finally getting somewhere, but then Sasuke just stopped talking to him altogether.

"Alright what's the deal teme!?" Naruto demanded. "First you make it seem as though were best buds, but then you just abruptly get up and leave out of the cafeteria when I told you one of my darkest secrets. Then you just avoid me and stop talking to me altogether. I mean, did I do or say something wrong? What gives?"

Sasuke inwardly sighed. How was he supposed to tell Naruto the reason he'd been avoiding him? If Sasuke told him the real reason, Naruto would probably become disgusted and never speak to him again. He'd probably even request to be put on a different team. Sasuke didn't want to risk that. So he closed his book and turned to Naruto.

"You haven't said nor done anything wrong Naruto." Sasuke said calmly.

"So then why the fuck won't you talk to me anymore?" Naruto asked, or rather demanded.

"I've been busy with a few things. I haven't neglected you on purpose." Sasuke replied.

"Bullshit! You've avoided me like the freakin plague and you know it!" Naruto shot back angrily. "Now you're fucking lying dead to my face! I share my secret and part of my past with you, and then you just get up and leave and then avoid me. How could you do that?! I thought I was your friend!!"

"You are my friend Naruto". Sasuke said. This wasn't going as Sasuke planned at all. Although, he figured Naruto would be a little pissed off. I mean, Sasuke did just abruptly stop talking to him after that "incident" in the cafeteria.

"Then tell me what the problem is". Naruto demanded again "If I'm your friend, then let me help you".

"It isn't that simple" Sasuke replied "I don't even understand what's going on. Until I figure it out, I need to stay away from you."

"I get it" Naruto said in a low voice. Sasuke had almost missed what he'd said. "You got close to me just so you could learn my secrets and my past and now you're just trying to push me away. You never wanted to be friends to begin with! And to think I actually trusted you, you **BASTARD!!**

"Naruto, listen to me right now" Sasuke had become a bit agitated. For once, he didn't know how to deal with this situation he was in and Naruto's attitude wasn't helping at all, even though he had a good reason to be pissed off. "We'll talk about this later when I figure this out okay. Right now, just drop it and give me some space."

"Fine then, be a dick." Naruto said as he stood up angrily. "If you want to shut me out then fine, go ahead. Some friend you are asshole." With that Naruto walked off.

"Naruto, wait!" Sasuke said, but Naruto ignored him and went back to his seat beside Shikamaru.

Sasuke sighed in exasperation.

'_Fuck, this is just great. Naruto is beyond pissed at me and I'm still not sure what to make of these dreams. How can this get any worse_?' As if on cue, Sakura showed up.

"Morning Sasuke-kun" Sakura said brightly. Like always, she flashed her charm and attempted to flirt with him, even though it was obvious Sasuke wasn't in the mood.

'_I had to ask_' thought Sasuke. He put his book away just as Iruka sensei walked in to begin the day's class. Sasuke took one last glance back at Naruto. Naruto noticed Sasuke looking at him and promptly stuck up his middle finger and mouth the word "asshole". Sasuke back around and couldn't help but notice that Iruka-sensei looked a little flustered, but that didn't concern Sasuke right now.

'_I'm sorry Naruto, but until I can figure this out, you'll have to be in the dark until then. I really hate doing this to you, but you're the cause of what's been happening to me and I need to find out why_' thought Sasuke.

For the rest of time they were at the academy, Sasuke barely paid attention in class. He still got his work done of course, but his mind was elsewhere. Sasuke was going through all the possible reasons why Naruto was affecting him like this. After going through all the possibilities, Sasuke came to one conclusion: he may have been falling in love. He'd been around Naruto since they were kids; maybe he had unconsciously started to develop deeper feelings that were now showing themselves. After thinking about it, Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, who was currently asking Shikamaru for help on a problem in the worksheet packets they had been given to work on.

'C_ould I really be in love with the dobe?_' Sasuke asked himself. '_No, that's crazy, so I can cross that off the list. I've been around Naruto for years, why would I suddenly start feeling this way about him now? There has to be another answer, but what the hell is it? I'm supposed to be a genius, yet I can't think of anything._'

That was the only thing going through Sasuke's mind all throughout the day. Caught up in his thoughts, Sasuke almost missed hearing the bell ring, signaling that it was time to dismiss and go home. Having packed up his things, Sasuke was halfway to the door, when Sakura bounded up to him.

"Sasuke-kun, don't forget that we have to meet Kakashi-sensei at the training ground today." Sakura said happily.

"I haven't forgotten" replied Sasuke. That was a lie. Actually, he had forgotten COMPLETELY. Kakashi-sensei had given them last week off since they deserved a break. So of course they would have to start training again this week if they had any chance of passing the chunin exams, which were still a month and a half away.

"So Sasuke-kun, after training, do you want to go the park with me?" Sakura asked. Lately, Sakura had become more persistent with asking Sasuke out. Sasuke always said no, but she kept trying anyway. You'd think she'd get the message by now after being turned down all last week.

"No, I have something I need to do afterwards" was Sasuke's simple reply. He didn't really have anything to do; he just didn't want to go to the park with her. What's wrong with that?

"I'll go to the park with you Sakura-chan" Naruto volunteered eagerly. This was a perfect opportunity to spend time with her and Naruto wasn't going to let it slip. Unfortunately, Sakura was so disappointed; that she completely ignored Naruto's offer and walked on ahead. Naruto glared at Sasuke before leaving to catch up to his crush. Sighing, Sasuke followed a few seconds later.

An hour later, Squad 7 arrived at the training field and listened intently as Kakashi explained their exercise.

"Ok everyone, today each of you will have a sparring match with me, one on one, to see if any of you have gotten any stronger" Kakashi explained calmly while pulling out his Icha Icha Paradise book and picking up where he left off.

"What!? Kakashi sensei, none of us can actually beat you." Sakura said, suddenly becoming very nervous.

"I didn't say you had to beat me" Kakashi replied without looking up from his book "I just want to see how far along your strength is, that's all."

Sakura still looked skeptical though.

After marking his place, Kakashi snapped his book shut. He then uncovered his Sharingan eye.

"Alright, let's get started" Kakashi said "Sakura, your first."

Sakura groaned but stepped forward anyway. Sakura pulled out a kunai and charged forward. After that, the battle was mainly one sided. Even though Sakura used a little genjutsu to gain the upperhand a few times, the genjutsu were low level and Kakashi broke out of them easily. Other than that, Sakura couldn't land a hit on Kakashi. Mainly because her moves were straightforward and easy to dodge. Collapsing to her knees, Sakura gave up.

"Ok, Sasuke your up" Kakashi said, having not even broken a sweat.

Sakura's eyes lit up after hearing that Sasuke was up next.

'_If anyone stands a chance against Kakashi sensei, it's Sasuke-kun_' thought Sakura happily.

Sasuke stood a few feet away from Kakashi and focused his chakra to his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them again, revealing the sharingan in both eyes. Sasuke's sharingan, however, had only 2 tomoe around it instead of 3 like Kakashi's.

Without further hesitation, the battle started. Sasuke fared much better than Sakura. His level of taijutsu kept Kakashi on his feet. Halfway, through the battle, Sasuke began using his fire techniques, some of them almost hitting their mark. It wasn't enough though and Sasuke later on gave up from exhaustion, having used too much chakra.

"You did excellent Sasuke. Naruto you're up next" said Kakashi, who still didn't have so much as a scratch on him or a bead of seat.

Naruto focused his chakra to his eyes, activated his Rinnegan, and stepped forward.

Watching from the sidelines with a recovering Sasuke, Sakura couldn't help but stare at Naruto's eyes.

'_So that's the mysterious Rinnegan huh?_' Sakura thought to herself. She had to admit, it looked…different for a lack of a better word. It actually looked a little more impressive than the Sharingan, but she would never admit that out loud.

As for the battle, Naruto fared surprisingly better than both Sasuke and Sakura. He had much better chakra control, as he had focused chakra to his legs to help him move faster than he normally could. Kakashi had a much harder time fighting him since Naruto fought with shadow clones and the clones had shared vision, so Kakashi could not find a single blind spot to hit from. That didn't mean he couldn't find openings however. Kakashi maneuvered behind Naruto and round house kicked him towards the lake. Naruto twisted in mid air and landed **ON TOP **of the lake's surface. To say Kakashi was amazed would've been an understatement.

'He's just a genin; he shouldn't be able to stand on water yet' thought Kakashi, his eyes wide 'his chakra control is absolutely perfect. I can't even sense his chakra signature. How does he know how to hide his chakra presence and exactly how strong is he?

Naruto smirked, knowing that standing on the water would throw Kakashi off balance. Naruto then did a series of hand signs after seeing that Kakashi was still momentarily stunned.

"Water style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!" Naruto yelled. The water around him began to churn and a blob of water floated up in the air and formed a shark made entirely out of water. Naruto made the same hand signs again and again with amazing speed until he had six water sharks. Naruto sent the sharks after Kakashi with excellent precision and timing, Kakashi barely managing to dodge them. Before he could recover after dodging one, another would already be on his tail.

'Wait a moment' thought Kakashi. He threw a kunai that hit Naruto square in the chest. However, Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, meaning it had been a shadow clone.

Before Kakashi could get over his shock, the real Naruto burst from the ground in a surprise attack, a kunai drawn. Kakashi drew out his own kunai in order to parry Naruto's attack, but imagine his shock when Naruto's kunai cut through his like a hot knife through butter!! It was then Kakashi noticed the blue chakra around Naruto's kunai. Naruto moved in for the kill. Thinking quickly, Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled it behind his back, pointing the kunai at the back of Naruto's neck.

"Very good Naruto, that's enough" Kakashi said, breathing a sigh of relief. It was then he noticed that he was sweating. Naruto had actually made Kakashi breakout into a sweat!! There were even a few small cuts here and there.

Sasuke had seen the whole thing.

'_How is Naruto that strong?_' Sasuke thought '_he managed to keep up with Kakashi move for move. And how did he stand on the water? Something like that requires excellent chakra control that a normal genin shouldn't have. I can't even do that. It's amazing!_' Sakura was just as speechless as Sasuke. Naruto had actually outdone _her_ Sasuke-kun!!

'_I'm so far behind_' thought Sakura 'Sasuke-kun and Naruto are so far ahead of me in power. '_No wonder Sasuke won't notice me; he doesn't want a weak mate_'.

'_I really have to watch out for **that** one_' Kakashi thought to himself while covering sharingan eye as he watched Naruto deactivate his Rinnegan and walk back over to Sasuke and Sakura. _'I didn't even sense him underground. He even knows how to utilize the wind chakra nature with blades. That technique is on a chunin level, yet he's a genin and he did it as though it were second nature. Very impressive'_

"Okay, you all still need some work" said Kakashi after he'd made his way over to his students "we'll continue to train both all this week and next week to hone your skills. I know a couple of people who can help you out so I'll see if I can contact them. I'll see you all tomorrow." With that, Kakashi disappeared in puff of smoke. As the rest of Squad 7 headed to the exit, Sasuke caught up with Naruto.

"Dobe, can we talk for a minute?" Sasuke asked. He didn't want Naruto to be mad at him anymore. Sasuke had planned to apologize to Naruto for avoiding him and he would try to explain the situation to Naruto as best he could, at least so Naruto would stop being mad. He didn't like having his best friend hate him. As if that wasn't bad enough, Sasuke still had that empty feeling in his heart whenever he was away from Naruto. The empty feeling was starting to become unbearable and Sasuke wanted to make amends so that Naruto could be near him again and make the empty feeling go away. Unfortunately, Sasuke wouldn't get the chance at the moment.

"Sasuke, stay away from me" Naruto said in a threatening tone. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. Don't come and try to talk to me after you avoided me for weeks."

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure he and Naruto had argued in the past, but Naruto had **NEVER **used that tone of voice, especially towards him of all people. Naruto looked over his shoulder with his Rinnegan activated, glaring hatefully at Sasuke. Sasuke instinctively took a few steps back, shocked. Naruto was being dead serious right now. Sakura stopped walking too and looked on in shock. She had never seen Naruto like this before.

"Naruto I--" Sasuke began, but he was cut off.

"I said shut the hell up! Don't try and act like you're my friend now. As far as I'm concerned, you might as well be a **FUCKING** stranger!!" Naruto screamed, putting emphasis on the f word. He turned and walked on.

Sasuke and Sakura stood where they were and stared at Naruto's slowly retreating form, speechless.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of these characters**

**Even though I only have 3 reviews so far, I would like to thank you for reading the story so far and telling me what you think. Your opinions and ideas are appreciated. This chapter will start with a lemony dream sequence also, so skip the italics part if you don't like those. Other than that, enjoy Chapter 7. On a side note, I cannot use Microsoft Word anymore because it locked me out, so I'll type the chapters here on instead.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 7**

_Sasuke had just gotten out of the shower, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. Padding softly, Sasuke made his way into his room and began to look for his last pair of clean underwear. Strangely, he couldn't find it anywhere. Suddenly, he heard a noise in the doorway. Looking up, he saw Naruto standing there with his clean pair of underwear in one hand._

_"Looking for these?" Naruto asked, holding the pair of black spandex boxers up in the air._

_"Give me my underwear dobe" Sasuke said, holding his hand out. Naruto walked up to him and whispered in his ear._

_"If you want them, then take them" Naruto whispered, sending shivers down Sasuke's spine. As if that wasn't bad enough, Naruto gently licked Sasuke's earlobe, causing Sasuke's dick to harden a little. Naruto dropped the pair of boxers, wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, and kissed the raven passionately on the lips. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist and returned the kiss with as much passion as Naruto put in. Sasuke then licked along Naruto's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Naruto opened his mouth and gladly welcomed in Sasuke's tongue, letting the raven explore his mouth. Naruto moaned into the kiss as Sasuke's tongue rubbed against Naruto's. Sasuke then pulled Naruto's tongue into his mouth and gently sucked on it. The two continued to kiss passionately until the need for air became too great, forcing them to pull apart_

_Sasuke pulled off Naruto's shirt and pressed their warm buddies together, giving Sasuke the opportunity to nuzzle the blonde's golden blonde hair, inhaling his scent in the process. After enjoying each other's body warmth, Sasuke sat on the bed and pulled Naruto onto his lap. Sasuke then gently kissed Naruto's jaw line and down to the junction between Naruto's neck and shoulder. Listening to Naruto's deep breathing, Sasuke inhaled more of Naruto's scent, arousing him further, and gently bit down on the spot before sucking and licking at it. Naruto moaned and shuddered, becoming like putty in Sasuke's hands. After sucking at the spot for a few more moments, Sasuke moved back to stare at the newly formed hickey, satisfaction written all over his face._

_Sensing the momentary pause in Sasuke's ministrations, Naruto pushed Sasuke onto his back and straddled his waist. Naruto explored Sasuke's body inch by inch, feeling the muscles ripple under his touch. Sasuke's smooth, creamy skin was flawless and Naruto couldn't help but taste it. He gently licked along Sasuke's rock hard abs, enjoying the salty taste of Sasuke's skin before latching on to Sasuke's left pert nipple while playing with the other one. Naruto switched after a few minutes, giving Sasuke's right nipple equal attention._

_By now, both Naruto and Sasuke were fully hard and it was only a matter of time before they reached their peak. Naruto felt something large and hard twitch under him and he instantly knew what it was. Moving downwards, Naruto undid the towel around Sasuke's waist, exposing Sasuke's erection to the slightly cool air of the bedroom. Licking his lips, Naruto undid his pants and slid them off along with his boxers, now exposing his own stiff member._

_The fact that they both were now naked made the two lovers even harder than they already were, as impossible as that was to believe. Naruto leaned forward in-between Sasuke's bent legs and tentatively licked the tip of Sasuke's dick a few times, getting a taste of the precum leaking out, before taking the head fully into his mouth, sucking gently and making light sucking noises._

_"Ah, Naruto, more, please" Sasuke said breathlessly, on the verge of losing his mind._

_Naruto complied and swallowed Sasuke's cock, taking him deeper. After pausing to get used to the feeling, Naruto began bobbing his head, taking in more of Sasuke until the head of his cock touched the back of Naruto's throat._

_Sasuke was now moaning out loud and fisting the sheets under him and curling his toes._

_Wanting to feel more pleasure himself, Naruto reached down and began pumping his cock with each bob of his head while his other hand gripped the base of Sasuke's dick._

_Naruto's eyes opened when he felt Sasuke's cock twitch, signaling that Sasuke was just about ready to blow. As Naruto looked up, he made eye contact with Sasuke, dark pits of black clashed with deep oceans of blue._

_Seeing the compassion in each other's eyes was all it took to bring both boys over the edge at the same time._

_Naruto's eyes lidded as he came into his hand._

_"OH GOD, NARUTO!" Sasuke screamed as he felt his release "I'm---_

**[Lemon ends here]**

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, but this time he did not bolt upright. There really was no point. It had been three days since Naruto's outburst towards him and Sasuke had still been having these dreams. To make things worse, the empty feeling in his heart had gotten even worse. So worse in fact that he had barely slept for the past 3 days and nothing could lighten his mood. Sasuke was basically, for lack of a better word, depressed. The fact that Naruto had not so much as even glanced at him since that day didn't help things at all either.

'_Naruto_' Sasuke thought.

Without thinking, Sasuke slid his hand into his boxers and gently wrapped his hand around his aching erection and softly pumped himself. That simple action caused Sasuke to cum inside of his boxers, the spandex material quickly becoming very damp and sticky.

"Ah, Naruto" Sasuke unconsciously uttered out loud, eyes half closed. Sasuke's eyes quickly opened back up, however, when he realized he'd just said and done.

"What's wrong with me?" Sasuke asked himself out loud "Why do I keep feeling this way?"

Of course, Sasuke knew the reason. He had known all along, but he had simply refused to accept it. Now, Sasuke had no choice but to wake up and face reality: he was in love with Naruto. The stickiness in his underwear was proof of that.

As Sasuke finally accepted the truth, he closed his eyes and wondered how this could've happened. Instantly, the "incident" at the academy was the first thing that popped into his mind.

'_It was the kiss!_' Sasuke realized '_Now that I think about it, all of this first started happening when Naruto and I first accidentally kissed_'

It all made sense to him now: the dreams, the urges to hold Naruto and be next to him, the empty feeling he got when Naruto wasn't there. It all fit together like a puzzle. That feeling he'd when they had accidentally kissed was....love. His heart wanted Naruto and it had been letting Sasuke know all this time, he was just to ignorant to listen to it. Now, all he had to do was tell Naruto how he felt.

However, there was just one big problem: Naruto hated his guts right now. Ssuke knew he had to fix this, but the question was: how? For the first time in his life, Sasuke Uchiha, the Uchiha clan genius, was clueless.

With nothing else to do, Sasuke stared up at the ceiling in frustration. He was brought out of his frustration, however, when his alarm clock went off.

Sighing, Sasuke hit the snooze button, got out of bed, and went to his closet to find clean outfit to wear. Sasuke pulled out a black, short-sleeve shirt with the Uchiha emblem on the back and a pair of blue shorts. After stopping by his dresser to pull out a clean pair of underwear, Sasuke made his way into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. After drying himself off, combing his hair and brushing his teeth, Sasuke went downstairs and slipped on his toeless, black shinobi sandals and his backpack.

'_I'll eat breakfast at the academy; I don't feel like making anything_' Sasuke decided as he walked out the front door, locked the door behind him, and headed towards the academy.

* * *

After having his breakfast and making his way to his classroom, Sasuke sat where he normally sat and thought about what he should do, the quietness helping him concentrate. However, after 15 minutes of sitting there, Sasuke had not come up with anything useful.

'_I can't figure this out on my own_' Sasuke thought '_Whether I want to or not, I'm gonna have to confide in someone about this, but whom?_'

For some reason, only one person came to mind: Kakashi Hatake. Sasuke didn't understand why he felt that Kakashi-sensei had the answer to his dilemma, but somehow, he knew. His heart was telling him that Kakashi knew what to do, so this time Sasuke would listen to it.

Hearing the door open over the quiet chatter in the classroom, Sasuke turned and saw Naruto walk into the room and take his normal seat beside a sleeping Shikamaru. Sasuke sighed again; Naruto was still giving him the cold shoulder and acting as though Sasuke wasn't even there. Turning back around and seeing that there was still another 10 minutes until class started, Sasuke pulled out his IPOD and put the ear buds into his ears. Selecting "Love" by Musiq Soulchild, Sasuke leaned back in his chair and stared out the window watching the beautiful sunrise. **[An: This song can actually be found on youtube. Just type in Love by Musiq Soulchild in the website's search engine and it's the second video.]**

It was near the end of the day and Sasuke was sitting at his desk bored out of his mind. Class ended in 15 minutes, but it seemed like hours to Sasuke. He had already finished and handed in the thick ass worksheet packet that Iruka had given everyone, and now he was sitting there with nothing to do. He didn't feel like listening to music, so he just sat there. Glancing back, Sasuke saw that Naruto had fallen asleep, his sky-blue nails shining from the sunlight reflecting off them.

'_He's cute when he's asleep_' Sasuke said to himself.

Sasuke spent the last few minutes of class going over what he would say to Kakashi sensei during training. He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the bell ringing.

As he was packing up his things, Saskura turned to him.

"Sasuke-kun, when we get done training, will you go out with me?" Sakura asked hopefully.

Sasuke didn't even have to think about his answer.

"No, I've got something I need to do" Sasuke replied. This time he wasn't lying, he really did have something to do, concerning a certain blonde.

"Oh" Sakura said disappointedly.

'_He still sees me as a weakling_' she thought.

"I'll go out with you Sakura-chan" Naruto volunteered again.

"Eeew, hell no" Sakura said kind of harshly before walking off.

Sasuke caught the hurt look on Naruto's face before the blonde walked out to catch up with the pink haired kunoichi.

"Why does he have a crush on her even though she hurts him?" Sasuke asked himself out loud. Sometimes, Naruto could be the hardest person to figure out.

As Squad 7 arrived at the training field, they were surprised to see Kakashi sensei there on time for a change. But what really surprised them were the 2 people standing on either side of him, a man and a woman.

The man on Kakashi's left had extremely long white hair that reached down to his butt, although it was tied up in a long pony tail. His skin was tan in color and he had dark brown eyes. He had red markings that ran down from his eyes and he wore a custom forehead protector with the kanji for "oil" written on it.

On Kakashi's right stood a woman with long blonde hair tied up into two ponytails. She had fair looking skin and brown eyes. She wore a green vest with the kanji for "gamble" written on the back. Beneath it, she wore a sleeveless kimono style blouse that was held closed by a dark, bluish grey obi that matched her trousers. Lastly, she wore red nail polish on her fingernails and toenails. The most striking feature about the woman, however, was her enormous chest.

'_Wow_' thought Sakura '_her boobs are **HUGE**. I hope mine get that big when I grow up. Although, I can't help but wonder how soft those must feel._'

"Good to see all three of you could make it." Kakashi said, smiling with his visible eye. " These are the two people who will you help train for the Chunin Exams. I give you: the Legendary Sannin of Konoha"

Kakashi then pointed to the man on the left.

"This is Jiraiya."

After that, he pointed to the busty woman on his right.

"And this is Tsunade."

"Pervy Sage and Grandma Tsunade!" Naruto exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise. "Your going to be training us?"

"Hey Naruto and yes" Both Jiraiya and Tsunade said at the same time, which was kind of creepy to say the least.

"You know the legendary Sannin!" Sakura asked, also surprised.

"Yeah" replied Naruto "Jiraiya is my godfather and Tsunade is my unofficial grandmother. Don't be fooled by the appearance, she's actually in her 50s, but she uses a special transformation jutsu to make herself appear younger."

"Well, this is quite interesting Naruto. I had no idea you were close with the Sannin." said Kakashi "Anyway, in 3 weeks, Sakura you will go with Tsunade, and Naruto, you will go with Jiraiya. Sasuke, I will train you myself. You two, Naruto and Sakura, will come back the day the chunin exams start. For the time being, we'll train here so you can can get used to being with your training instructors. Also, you won't have to worry about missing school. Luckily, the Ninja Academy will be closed in 3 weeks and classes won't begin until after the exams. Are there any questions?"

Shaking their heads no, the members of Squad 7 went with their respective masters to different parts of the training field and began training. The members Squad 7 continued to trained with their masters until sunset, at which point they took their break.

Kakashi and Sasuke had chosen to rest under a tree on a low hill that was high enough so that they could see the sunset. For Sasuke, this was the perfect opportunity to talk to Kakashi about his problem. It was just him and Kakashi alone at the moment and he was not about to waste his chance.

"Kakashi, can I talk to you about something?" Sasuke asked. After marking his place, Kakashi snapped his Make Out Violence book shut, put it away, and looked up at Sasuke.

"Sure Sasuke, what's on your mind?" Kakashi asked, happy that Sasuke trusted him enough to talk to him about whatever was bothering him.

'_Alright, you can do this_' Sasuke reassured himself '_Just tell him what's going on. You practiced for this moment_'

"Kakashi....I think I have special feelings for Naruto" Sasuke said after a momentary pause.

Kakashi was silent for a second.

"Oh, well that's normal" Kakashi finally said.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"It's normal!" he exclaimed.

"Well, yes. You and Naruto have known each other since you were kids and it's normal that you've developed a sort of brotherly love for Naruto since he is your teammate." Kakashi explained, misunderstanding what Sasuke meant.

After hearing Kakashi's response, Sasuke fell over anime style.

"Not those kind of feelings. I mean....intimate feelings and I don't know what to do." Sasuke clarified after sitting back up.

"Oh...okay...well start from the beginning and tell me what brought these feelings about." Kakashi said, already knowing what to do, and findining this quite interesting.

"Okay, well it started 2 and half weeks ago when Naruto and I accidentally kissed and-" Sasuke said to Kakashi before the masked ninja interrupted him.

"You and Naruto kissed by accident?" Kakashi asked skeptically.

"Naruto got in my face to argue with me again, like always, and the guy behind him bumped him into me and we...kissed." Sasuke said the last part with a bit of difficulty.

"Well how did it feel?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke had never thought about the kiss before now, but now that he did, all the emotions he'd felt at that moment came floating back.

"It felt.....wonderful. Even though it was an accident, I felt at peace, like I was whole, and I wanted to kiss him longer. Sasuke said "Also, I felt-"

"Love" Kakashi interrupted "And ever since then you've been having erotic dreams about Naruto and intense urges to hold him. Above all else, you have an empty feeling in your heart that comes whenever Naruto is not with you, am I right?"

Sasuke stared at Kakashi in absolute shock.

"Yeah" Sasuke said "How did you know that?"

"Because" said Kakashi " I went through the exact same thing when I fell in love with Iruka."

Sasuke's eyes almost popped out of his head at that confession.

'_Kakashi and Iruka!_' Sasuke exclaimed in his head '_When did this happen?_'

"You and Iruka are a couple?" Sasuke said camly, masking the surprise he felt.

"Yes" Kakashi casually said, as though it were obvious. "We've been together for 3 years now."

At hearing Kakashi's revelation, Sasuke instantly thought back to the day Iruka came into the classroom looking flustered.

'_So that's why_' Sasuke realized 'I_ never would've thought_'

"So how did this come about?" Sasuke asked

"It was the anniversary of the Kyuubi attack on Konoha, and I happened to see Iruka at the cemetary, visiting the grave site of his parents. I noticed that he was crying so I went over to comfort him. Believe me, I know what it's like to lose both parents. Anyway, I told him everything was going to be alright and I stayed with him until he stopped crying. After that, we watched the sunset together and we just talked for a few minutes. I understood the pain he felt and I knew that he just needed someone to talk to. I knew because I was the same way when my parents died. My mother died when I was very young and my father committed suicide when he was slandered and criticized by the village for something that happened during his last mission. When Iruka felt like he was ready to go, I walked him to the cemetary exit and said good bye. Before I could leave, however, he gave me a hug and thanked me for staying with him. It was just a simple hug, but I felt complete at that moment and something else that I couldn't place my finger on, but I didn't think much of it." Kakashi explained.

"In the following days, I kept having urges to be close to Iruka and hold him whenever I saw him. It scared me because I had never felt this way before, and the urges just kept getting more and more intense to the point where it took all of my strength to control myself. And then the dreams started happening. They were so vivid and real. Everytime I saw Iruka, images from the dreams would come floating back and I would blush. Confused, I tried to keep my distance from Iruka, but then I developed this lonely, empty feeling in my heart whenever Iruka wasn't around. When it had become so bad to the point that I couldn't sleep anymore, I realized that I had fallen in love with him. The strange, warm feeling I'd felt when him and I had hugged was love. The problem was telling Iruka how I felt." Kakashi went on.

"What did you do?" Sasuke asked, even though he knew the answer.

"I decided that I had to tell Iruka how I felt. I knew I wouldn't feel better unless I did. So the next day, I went to visit Iruka at the Ninja academy 30 minutes after dismissal. I found Iruka in his classroom grading papers at his desk. We said hello and everything and I pulled up a chair. I took a deep breath and I told Iruka how I felt and what I had been going through. It was the hardest thing I had ever done in my entire life. Iruka just stared at me for a moment and I thought he was going to reject me, but it turns out, he'd felt the same way and he'd been experiencing the same things I had. Not only that, he said that he'd be willing to give it a shot if I was ready. I agreed and we had a date the following night and we both had a great time." Kakashi said.

"OK, then what?" Sasuke pressed on, he was really getting into Kakashi's story. He never would've thought that his teacher and his jonin sensei would get together.

"Well, I offered to walk him back home and he allowed me to do so. Before either of us said goodbye, however, Iruka pulled my mask down, wrapped his arms around my neck, and kissed me. The moment our lips made contact, I felt a spark between us. At that moment, all I wanted was Iruka. I wrapped my arms around him and we made out on his front porch, not caring who saw. I knew at that moment that I was holding the person I wanted to be with for rest of my years to come, my soul mate.

"Then what happened?" Sasuke asked

"Well...to put it simply...we went into his house and....well....we made love that night." Kakashi said with some difficulty, rubbing the back of his head while sweat dropping. " We've been together ever since then".

Sasuke's jaw dropped. He'd had no idea that Kakashi and Iruka had already had sex. As a matter of fact, he'd figured they'd only made out when Kakashi first confessed.

"So then, what should I do? Sasuke asked.

"It's simple: tell Naruto how you feel." Kakashi answered.

"I can't. What if he doesn't return my feelings and it ruins our friendship? Sasuke replied.

"That's a chance you'll have to take. Otherwise, the empty feeling and urges will continue to get worse and the dreams will continue as well. Is that something you want to live with?" Kakashi asked. " Even if he doesn't return your feelings, it will at least put your heart to rest. Besides, Naruto is a kind and understanding person, so just tell him what's going on. I mean, don't you think you've kept him the dark long enough?"

"But Naruto **REALLY** hates me right now." Sasuke pointed out.

"Why?" asked Kakashi

"Because I let Naruto get close to me at first, but when I kept having these dreams and urges, I stopped talking to him and I kept my distance for a couple of weeks. That following week, he accused me of getting close to him just to find out his secret. I didn't avoid him because I wanted to hurt him. I avoided him because I wasn't ready for him to know and I didn't want to accept the truth myself yet. Then, 3 days ago, after we sparred with you, I tried to approach Naruto to at least get him to stop being mad at me, but he told me to shut the hell up and stay away from him. He even said I might as well be a stranger to him. Not only did he say it in a cold tone of voice, but he activated his Rinnegan and glared at me to further prove his point. Words couldn't describe how shocked I felt. I mean, he's never used that tone with neither me nor Sakura, **ever**. He won't even listen to what I have to say." Sasuke explained.

"I see. Well try to look at it from his point of view Sasuke" Kakashi said "Your the only best friend Naruto has ever had in his life, and for you to suddenly avoid him after he revealed his darkest secret sent the wrong message. He probably felt that you thought that the friendship you and him had never mattered. You have to understand that Naruto is a sensitive person when it comes to friendship, from having such a lonely childhood, and he didn't understand why you just suddenly pushed him away. Your gonna have to get him to listen to you if you want to get his off your chest." Kakashi explained to the raven haired boy.

Sasuke nodded. He understood what he had to do. I had to confess his love to Naruto and hope that Naruto returned his feelings. It was the only way to settle all of this.

"Is there anything else that's bothering you Sasuke? Kakashi asked

Sasuke shook his head no.

"In that case, let's finish training." Kakashi said, standing up and uncovering his Sharingan eye.

Sasuke nodded, standing up and activating his Sharingan also.

Squad 7 continued to train with their masters for another hour before deciding to call it a day.

Instead of going straight home like he always did, Sasuke went to "Konoha Park" and sat on one of the park benches and thought about what he would say to Naruto. After he'd gone over what he wanted to say, Sasuke sat there and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a while longer until a single thought command popped into his head.

_'Go to him' _it said.

Nodding, Sasuke stood up and walked out of the park towards Naruto's house, ready to get this over with.

**(sighs) I finally finished this chapter. Even though it took me 2 days to finish it, I enjoyed writing it. It was on Microsoft Word, but that locked up on me, so I had to finish it here. Anyway, I hope anyone who reads this has enjoyed the story so far and don't forget to review. Chapter 8 will be up shortly.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**OK my three reviewers, this is the chapter where Naruto and Sasuke get together. There will be a lemon in this chapter, so if you don't like those, then skip that part. You guys already know to review and tell me what you think, so other than that, here's chapter 8.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 8**

After walking all the way from the park, Sasuke now stood outside of Naruto's door. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. Sasuke was beyond nervous!! After all, he was about to confess to Naruto, who was a boy, that he liked, no, **LOVED **him. Of course, Sasuke anticipated the fact that this could go very badly. If Naruto rejected him, not only would it break Sasuke's heart to pieces, but it would ruin their friendship **FOREVER. **Naruto would never look at him the same way again, if he even looked at him at all after this. Everything rested on this moment. It could either turn their friendship into an intimate relationship or it could break it for good. Either way, Sasuke was tired of the dreams, tired of the urges, and most of all, he was tired of the empty lonely feeling. He would get this over with and now.

'_Alright, you can do this_' Sasuke said to encourage himself. '_Just knock on the door. Move dammit!!_'

Sasuke slowly raised his hand....and knocked 3 times.

There was no answer.

"Maybe he's not home" Sasuke said to himself. He pressed his ear against the door and heard music playing, telling him that Naruto was home. Secretly, a part of Sasuke was hoping that Naruto **wasn't** home. That way he could put this off for another day. So much for that though.

Sasuke took a deep, calming breath and knocked 3 more times, this time louder. Sasuke heard the music being turned down and a few seconds later, Naruto stood in the doorway with an angry expression. This, of course, meant that Naruto had sensed Sasuke's chakra signature, further proving the point that Naruto was much stronger than originally thought, as a normal genin shouldn't be able to sense chakra yet.

"What the hell do **you **want?" Naruto asked angrily.

"I need to talk you" Sasuke replied

"I already told you, I don't care what you have to say. Don't try and come talk to me now all of a sudden." Naruto said. "Now go away, I don't know you."

As Naruto was about to slam the door, Sasuke stopped it with his hand before it closed all the way.

"Naruto, please, I really need to talk to you. I'm sorry I avoided you and I'll explain. All I ask is that you give me 3 minutes, that's all. After that, you never have to speak to me again if you don't want to, but this is really important and I need to talk to you. Just give me a chance, please." Sasuke said desperately.

Naruto noticed how desperate Sasuke sounded and decided that he should at least hear Sasuke out. Besides, he had never heard Sasuke sound so desperate. Whatever it was, it **had **to be important if it made Sasuke act this way and actually come all the way to his house.

"Alright" Naruto said as he moved aside and let Sasuke inside his home.

As he walked inside and took off his shoes by the door, Sasuke noticed that Naruto's apartment was actually clean. The kitchen was clean, and from what he could tell, the living room was clean also. Sasuke had come over Naruto's house before and it had always been messy and a little smelly, with ramen cups and scrolls everywhere. Now it smelled fresh and the house was spotless. Sasuke then noticed the cleaning supplies sitting on the counter, meaning Naruto had been cleaning up while listening to music on the stereo system in the living room.

Speaking of the stereo system in the living room, Sasuke could now clearly hear the song playing even though the volume was turned down. Naruto had been listening to "Living For The Love of You" by the Isley Brothers. **[An: This song can be found on youtube as well. Type the name of the song into the search engine and it's the first video.]**

"Wait here for a moment" Naruto said "I need to turn this off" As Naruto walked toward the living room, Sasuke took in his appearance. Naruto had taken off his orange jumpsuit and now had on the black shirt he wore under it. He also wore his normal pair of orange pants. He didn't have his head band on and he was barefoot, his nails still painted that beautiful sky-blue color. Sasuke was brought back to reality when the stereo was turned off and Naruto walked back into the kitchen with his arms crossed.

"Alright teme, this had better be good" Naruto warned.

Sasuke nodded and took a deep breath

'_This is it_' he thought to himself.

"Naruto...I..." Sasuke began, but couldn't get it out.

"Yes?" Naruto pressed on

'_Come on, say it_' Sasuke's inner voice urged '_Stop being scared and tell him how you feel! Your an Uchiha dammit!! Uchihas are not scared of anything!'_

Sasuke took another deep breath

"Naruto....I have feelings for you" Sasuke revealed "I don't mean brotherly feelings of friendship, I mean intimate feelings of a lover. In other words.....I'm in love with you, Naruto"

Naruto uncrossed his arms.....and just stood there speechless. He stared at Sasuke blankly and didn't blink.

"Before you say anything, just let me explain" Sasuke said "Do you remember that kiss we accidentally had at the academy?"

Naruto simply nodded, still not saying anything and not blinking.

"Well, when we kissed, I felt something that I couldn't describe. It made me feel warm and complete at that moment. At first I ignored it, but then....I started having dreams about you Naruto, intimate dreams of us together. Practically every night, I had these dreams of you and I couldn't explain why. Then I started having these urges to hold you and be close to you. The longer I was around you, the stronger those urges became. When I helped you with your homework that day, I almost wrapped my arms around you, but Ino showed up. The same thing almost happened in the cafeteria too. That's why I got up and left. I kept away from you because....I was scared. I didn't understand what was happening to me and I needed to stay away from you to figure it out. I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you would react. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I didn't take advantage of our friendship Naruto, I'd never do that. Your the closest and only friend I've ever had" Sasuke explained

Naruto still just stared, but he did blink this time, so Sasuke continued.

"I had figured that if I stayed away from you, the urges and dreams would stop, but they didn't and then you got angry at me for avoiding you and then walked away from me. I didn't know how to tell you how I felt, so all I could do was watch you walk away. As if all of that wasn't painful enough, I developed this lonely, empty feeling in my heart whenever you weren't with me and it hurt, a lot. When it got worse, I realized that the feeling I'd felt when we kissed was love. I knew it, but I wouldn't accept it. But now.....I'm sure of it. You're the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I never meant to shut you out Naruto and I'm sorry I hurt you. It's okay if you don't return my feelings Naruto, but I just want you to know that.....I love you Naruto, truly and deeply. I was just too blind and scared to realize it." Sasuke said, finished.

Naruto, however, said nothing. He just continued to stare at Sasuke with that blank expression. Naruto only blinking once was the only indication that he was even still breathing. By now, Sasuke's heart was beating so badly from nervousness that he was surprised it hadn't burst out of his chest.

"Naruto, please say something. Let me hear your voice" Sasuke pleaded, walking forward and slowly hugging the blonde tightly, putting all of his love into it. Naruto just stood there like a statue, not returning the hug.

When Sasuke pulled back, Naruto continued to stare at him with that blank expression. Sasuke....was emotionally crushed.

'_I understand. He's so disgusted that he can't even express it.'_ Sasuke thought sadly, unknowingly raising his hand and gripping the spot where his heart was. It felt as though his heart was going to shatter at any moment. He couldn't take it much longer.

"You don't have to say anything Naruto, I understand." Sasuke said, feeling the tears well up in his eyes, but he blinked them back. "It just wasn't meant to be"

Unknown to Sasuke, Naruto didn't freeze up because he was disgusted beyond belief. He froze up because he was **shocked **beyond belief. Sasuke loved him!! He'd felt the spark too when they had kissed!!

As Sasuke turned and began to walk towards the door, Naruto came out his trance and grabbed Sasuke's arm.

"Sasuke wait!" Naruto cried, gently pushing Sasuke against the refrigerator "I love you too"

Sasuke's jaw dropped.

"You do?" he asked

"Yes" Naruto replied "I felt the spark too when we kissed, but I knew what it meant, I just didn't know how to tell you. I was afraid you wouldn't accept me. I had dreams too, just like you did. I had urges to be beside you too, that's why I sat and ate lunch with you and asked for help with my homework. I wanted to bond with you. But then you pushed me away and avoided me. That really, **REALLY** hurt me inside." Naruto said sadly. He grabbed Sasuke's hand and brought up to his chest so he could feel his heart beating. As Sasuke relaxed, Naruto continued.

"I didn't mean to get mad at you and I'm sorry for all the things I said. I was just upset and I thought you didn't return my feelings. The truth is...I love you too Sasuke, from the bottom of my heart. I realized that it didn't matter if everyone else hated me. As long as I had you, it would be alright. I love you because you accept me for who I am and you see me as a person, not the Kyuubi." Naruto explained.

As Naruto and Sasuke looked into each other's eyes, they slowly leaned in....and kissed. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck and Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist. They stayed that way and just made out passionately in Naruto's kitchen while holding each other.

**[Lemon starts here]**

Naruto opened his mouth and allowed Sasuke's tongue into his mouth. Their tongues battle playfully, before Naruto submitted, allowing Sasuke to map out every inch of his mouth with his tongue. The both of them had only dreamed of this moment. Now, it was becoming a reality.

The two continued to kiss until they had to pull away for air. Looking into Sasuke's eyes, Naruto knew what Sasuke wanted to do...and he was ready.

"Naruto..we don't have to, but--" Sasuke began, but he was cut off.

"It's okay Sasuke. I'm ready" Naruto reassured him. "Just let me get something first." Naruto left Sasuke in the kitchen and came back a minute later with a towel.

"What's the towel for?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't want this getting messy. I just cleaned the carpet after all" Naruto replied. When Sasuke just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, Naruto simply said "You'll see".

Naruto lead Sasuke into the living room and onto to the floor. Naruto sat in between Sasuke's legs and passionately kissed him. This time, Sasuke opened his mouth and let Naruto's tongue in. Remembering one of his dreams, Sasuke stroked Naruto's lower back before going further down and groping his ass. Naruto moaned into the kiss and pulled away to remove his shirt. Sasuke licked his lips after looking at Naruto's delicate, tan skin and then removed his own shirt.

After they were both shirtless, the two lovers admired the other's body. Sasuke was well built and just the right size, not too big and not too small. He had a muscular chest and nicely toned abs.

Naruto had a smaller frame than Sasuke, but he was still well built with a muscular chest and toned abs. Also like Sasuke, his skin was smooth and flawless with not so much as a scratch.

Without a word, Sasuke leaned in kissed along Naruto's jaw line. As he made his down to the juncture between Naruto's neck and shoulder, he breathed in Naruto's sweet vanilla scent and licked the spot before gently biting and sucking on it. Sasuke heard a strange sound that sounded like a motorboat, but payed it no mind as he continued to bite and suck at Naruto's pulse.

Naruto moaned and began to unconsciously grind his hard, clothed erection into Sasuke's. Sasuke moaned and pressed against his body, thrusting back and matching the blonde's pace. Naruto stopped thrusting after a few minutes and reached down to undo his pants. After undoing them, Naruto slid off his pants and boxers in one motion. His erection twitched after coming into contact with the air.

Sasuke saw that Naruto's cock was a good 8 inches and was significantly thick. Impressed and also very aroused at that moment, Sasuke stood up, undid his pants and slid both them and his boxers off. Naruto's eyes widened and he stared up in amazement. Sasuke's cock was 10 and half inches long and it was thicker than Naruto's. Naruto pulled Sasuke back on the floor on his back, straddled his waist, and began to grind their bare erections together. Both males moaned out loud at the delicious pleasure as their hard flesh came into contact with one another and Sasuke realized that this was just like his dream, except it felt much better in reality. He thrusted back up and matched Naruto's rhythm. After 12 good minutes, Sasuke could feel the pressure building in his abdomen and he knew what was coming.

Sasuke and Naruto continued to move in perfect rhythm until they both reached orgasm at the same time, their seed mixing together and splattering onto each other's chest and stomach. The two grinded a few more times before they finally stopped and Naruto collapsed on top of Sasuke, both lovers breathing heavily.

"Naruto, are you ok?" Sasuke asked after regaining his breath.

"Yeah, I'm okay and that felt incredible" Naruto said from on top of Sasuke, his head resting on the ravens chest and smiling slightly. "I can still keep going if you can though"

"I'm always ready dobe" Sasuke said while smirking.

Naruto leaned forward and kissed Sasuke, his tongue sliding into the raven's mouth. As they kissed, Sasuke gently grabbed Naruto's bare ass and squeezed here and there to enjoy the feel of Naruto's soft skin, causing both males to become half hard again. Naruto began to instinctively thrust against Sasuke as they kissed and groped one another. In a few seconds, they had both become fully hard again. After thrusting a few more times, Naruto pulled Sasuke and himself up to their feet, and grabbing the towel, they cleaned themselves off of their essence.

'_So that's why he brought the towel_' Sasuke realized '_Smart thinking dobe_'

After cleaning themselves off, Naruto lead Sasuke to the wall beside the sliding glass door and gently pushed him against it while placing the towel on the floor between Sasuke's legs. Naruto passionately kissed Sasuke, angling his head a little, before sliding downwards, feeling Sasuke's muscles along the way. Naruto continued to go down until he was on his knees and face to face with Sasuke's slightly twitching erection.

'_He's actually going to do this_' Sasuke thought to himself after realizing what Naruto was about to do.

Naruto tentatively gripped the base of Sasuke's penis and began to gently lick the tip, causing the thick shaft to twitch more. After licking the tip of Sasuke's dick a few more times, Naruto tentatively took the head into his mouth and began to suck gently, but firmly at the same time.

Sasuke felt as though his cock would explode from pleasure. He always knew that this sort of thing would feel good, but not **this** good. There was no word to describe this. He had dreamed about this and now it was finally happening.

Naruto took in more of Sasuke before swallowing. Getting used to the feeling, Naruto started bobbing his head, taking Sasuke deeper until the head touched the back of his throat. Naruto's grip on Sasuke's penis tightened as he sucked the raven off, bobbing his head and sucking more firmly than before. Even though it was his first time doing this, Naruto felt comfortable and he didn't mind doing this for Sasuke. Not only that, he now had a raging erection between his legs again. Reaching down, Naruto grabbed his stiff cock and kneaded the head a little before pumping it in time with each bob of his head.

Unable to stand up anymore, Sasuke slid down until he was sitting on his ass, causing Naruto to back away for a moment. However, as soon as Sasuke sat down on the towel, Naruto picked up where he left off. Naruto leaned forward in between Sasuke's bent legs and took the hard penis within his mouth again before swallowing and bobbing his head. Naruto reached down and began to jack himself again with each bob of his head. All the while, Sasuke was moaning nonstop at the delicious pleasure and he spread his legs a little wider so Naruto could have more access.

After a few more minutes, Sasuke couldn't hold it back anymore, and with a whimper of his lover's name, he came inside of Naruto's mouth. The blonde swallowed every last drop of Sasuke's warm cum as he reached climax himself, his own seed splattering on the towel beneath him. Naruto continued to suck long after Sasuke's cock had gone limp, simply wanting to relish in the feel of having it in his mouth. After finally bringing Sasuke to his second orgasm, Naruto stopped sucking and let Sasuke's still half hard organ slip from his mouth before moving away. Naruto then leaned forward again and took Sasuke's sack into his mouth, sucking firmly and pulling on it slightly. Naruto honestly couldn't help it. It was begging to be sucked on.

Sasuke moaned as Naruto sucked on his balls, wondering how on earth something could feel this good. It didn't take long for the two lovers to become fully hard again due to the current actions and Sasuke already had something else planned in mind.

"Naruto, I need you to get on your hands and knees" Sasuke managed to say.

Naruto stopped sucking on Sasuke's balls and them slip from his mouth as he got into the position Sasuke asked for, his butt facing him. Sasuke moved forward and placed 3 fingers at Naruto's mouth.

"I don't need preparation, just hurry. I'll explain later." Naruto said breathlessly.

Sasuke shrugged and positioned himself behind Naruto at his entrance and pushed into Naruto's tight body. Surprisingly, Sasuke slid right in and he discovered that Naruto had become.....wet, sort of like a woman. Yeah, Naruto definitely had some explaining to do, but Sasuke didn't care right then.

Naruto sucked in a breath and held it as he felt Sasuke enter him for the first time. It felt a little weird at first, but it also felt better than he had ever dreamed. Not only that, Sasuke was huge! Honestly, he had always thought Sasuke was big, but not like this. Slowly, Naruto let out the breath that he had been holding as he adjusted to the huge dick inside of him.

After waiting patiently for Naruto to adjust to his large size, Sasuke pulled out, leaving the tip within Naruto, before quickly pushing himself back in. Sasuke continued this steady pace, not wanting to hurt his lover, before picking up speed and thrusting harder, hitting Naruto's prostate dead on each time. Naruto began to thrust back into Sasuke, adding to both their pleasure.

"Naruto, your so warm and tight inside" Sasuke said as he thrusted harder and faster with each passing minute.

Naruto moaned very feminine like as a response and spread his legs wider, letting Sasuke move up further in between them and going in deeper. Naruto moved so that he was on his elbows and knees, putting his ass in the air and giving Sasuke maximum access, letting the raven thrust his cock as deep as it could possibly go.

Sasuke reached under Naruto and grabbed the blonde's very stiff erection. He played with the head a little bit before pumping it in time with his thrusts, his other hand still on Naruto's hip. Naruto moaned more and more as Sasuke fucked him into the floor. The pleasure couldn't be described in words and he hadn't know that it was possible for something to feel this good.

Sasuke gave a few more hard thrusts before he came inside of Naruto, shooting his sticky cum deep within the blonde. At that same moment, Naruto reached his orgasm as well, spraying his cum on the towel while screaming Sasuke's name.

After emptying himself, Sasuke pulled out before drying his dick off and laid on his back to catch is breath, his legs bent. As he laid there in the after glow, Sasuke noticed that Naruto had turned back around was staring at the raven's still half hard dick. As though reading the blonde's mind, Sasuke spread his legs further apart. Naruto took the silent invitation and played with Sasuke's cock, making it fully hard again.

Naruto leaned down and took the hard penis inside his mouth for the second time, and gently sucked before swallowing and bobbing his head while making low sucking noises and fondling Sasuke's sack, enjoying feel of his lover's balls rolling in his hand. Sasuke realized that he was enjoying this as much as Naruto was and as long as Naruto kept going, Sasuke would keep going too. Then an idea popped into his genius brain.

"Naruto, I know how we can help each other in this" Sasuke said and he explained his idea.

Naruto nodded and moved into position, his cock now over Sasuke's face and Naruto's face facing towards Sasuke's dick.

Naruto leaned forward and took Sasuke's erection into his mouth before swallowing and bobbing his head again.

Sasuke groaned at the feeling and then leaned forward, taking Naruto's engorged cock into his mouth and letting it slide down his throat before bobbing his head and sucking firmly.

Naruto inwardly moaned and began to thrust into Sasuke's mouth, an action which the raven accepted. They stayed in that position for a few minutes, sucking each other off. Sasuke took Naruto's cock out of his mouth and gently pushed Naruto off of him. Spreading his legs wider, Sasuke allowed Naruto to crawl on top of him. Positioning himself, Naruto slid down until Sasuke's cock was all the way inside of him again. After waiting so he could adjust, Naruto began to ride Sasuke, moving faster and faster while moaning Sasuke's name and other profanities.

"Sasuke...it feels...bigger...this way" Naruto managed to say as he picked up speed.

Sasuke moved his hand down and groped Naruto's round ass, urging the blond further on and making Sasuke harder. Unable to control himself any longer, Sasuke thrusted back up into Naruto, stimulating the blonde's prostate and adding to his pleasure. Sasuke then reached his hand down and pumped Naruto's cock in rhythm with his movements.

"Naruto, we'll cum together" Sasuke said, taking his hands off of Naruto's body and reaching out to the blonde.

Naruto nodded and held both of his hands, allowing him to ride Sasuke harder then before.

After a few more downwards thrusts, Naruto came, splattering his cum on Sasuke's stomach and chest. At the same moment, Sasuke reached his orgasm as well, shooting more of his cum deep inside of Naruto. Naruto collapsed on top of Sasuke, both males completely spent.

**[Lemon ends here]**

After cleaning themselves up, Naruto put the sticky towel into the washing machine, gathered their clothes, and then lead Sasuke to his (Naruto's) bedroom.

The two males got under the covers and snuggled close. Before they could fall asleep Sasuke had to ask one question.

"Naruto, how come you didn't need any preparation?' Sasuke asked

"Well, you see Sasuke, the Kyuubi is a demon and demons don't really have definite genders like humans do. Their a little of both. In other words, demons have both male and female characteristics. People assume that the Kyuubi is a boy because he looks like one, but in actuality, he's both a boy and a girl. Since the Kyuubi is sealed within me, I look a little more feminine than I should and that's why I appeared to have "gotten wet" back there." Naruto explained.

"Oh" was all Sasuke could say. It actually made sense in a way.

While the two lovers laid in bed, Naruto was the first to fall asleep while Sasuke just stared at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. While he laid there, Sasuke wondered what he had done to deserve such a beautiful angel like Naruto. Naruto understood him better than anyone and he was lucky to have him. They both had endured loneliness in their lives and they understood each other's pain. Whenever Naruto cried, Sasuke would be there. When he was lonely, Sasuke would be there. Naruto would never have to be alone again. Of course, Sasuke still had a few more questions, but he would save them until tomorrow since Naruto was tired and already asleep. Rolling over, Sasuke wrapped an arm around Naruto and pulled the blonde into his chest.

"Goodnight Naruto, my little kitsune" Sasuke whispered as he gently kissed Naruto's cheek and finally feel into a peaceful sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in the story.**

**I feel so happy today! Do you know why? Because I got more reviews! I think writing stories might be my calling in life. Oh well. Anyways, thank you all for your reviews, they are very much appreciated and I thank you for taking the time to read my story so far. This story isn't going to end just yet, so hold tight. I'll try and upload more chapters as soon as I can. I'm sure that you all have gotten tired of me chatting so, without further delay, here's chapter 9. This chapter is mainly about what happens right after Naruto and Sasuke start going out. And don't forget to review and tell me what you think.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 9**

Sasuke was awoken from his pleasant sleep by the sound of Naruto's alarm clock going off. Cracking one eye open, Sasuke groaned and slammed his fist on the snooze button. To be honest, Sasuke did not feel like getting up today, and he would much rather stay in bed. Sasuke sat up and was puzzled at first. This wasn't his room. A few seconds later, Sasuke remembered what happened yesterday and blushed.

'_That's right_' Sasuke mused to himself '_I confessed how I felt to Naruto and we screwed each other senseless_'

Looking over at the naked blonde under the covers, Sasuke smiled warmly. Naruto really did look like an angel when he slept. In fact, he wanted nothing more right now than to lay back down, pull Naruto close, and sleep some more. However, they had to get up or they would be late to the Ninja Academy. And if they were late, Iruka was sure to bitch about it. Iruka sensei hated tardiness, which was pretty ironic because he was dating Kakashi, who was **ALWAYS **late.

After stretching to wake himself up a little, Sasuke reached over and gently shook Naruto's shoulder.

"Dobe, it's time to wake up" Sasuke said, but Naruto only stirred so Sasuke shook him again "Come on Naruto, rise and shine"

"I don't wanna" Naruto groaned out, turning over on his side and pulling the covers over him " Just give me 10 more minutes"

"We'll be late dobe" Sasuke said calmly.

"So, screw you. I'm not getting up" Naruto replied back stubbornly.

"Fine, just be ready to face Iruka's wrath" Sasuke shot back.

Naruto groaned at that comeback. He knew better than anyone else that Hell hath no fury like Iruka Umino when he was pissed off. And one of the things he hated the most was tardiness because he felt that it was rude to keep people waiting and it caused disruptions during class.

With another groan, Naruto slid out bed, stood up, and stretched, forgetting that he was still naked and not realizing that he was giving Sasuke a great view of his ass. When Naruto finally realized his indecency, he blushed and quickly pulled his underwear on.

"You didn't see anything" Naruto said.

"Whatever you say dobe" Sasuke replied "Can we shower now?"

"Fine, but you had better not get fresh with me though" Naruto warned. He grabbed Sasuke's arm and lead him to the bathroom, not even noticing that Sasuke was still naked himself. Cutting the light on, Naruto lead Sasuke inside. After glancing at the raven, Naruto finally noticed Sasuke's nudity and blushed.

"Wait here" Naruto instructed, taking one last glance at Sasuke's dick before stepping out, an action that Sasuke noticed who then promptly smirked. Naruto went back to his room and gathered some clean clothes for himself as well as Sasuke's clothes. On the way out, he stopped by his dresser and got out 2 clean pairs of underwear: one for him and one for Sasuke.

"Alright teme, I guess you can wear a pair of my underwear for now" Naruto said to Sasuke when he'd gotten back to the bathroom. He went to the shower and turned on the hot water. When the water was at just the right temperature, the two boys climbed in and took their first shower together. When they stepped out, the two dried themselves off, got dressed, fixed their hair, and brushed their teeth. While Naruto went downstairs to get breakfast ready, Sasuke stayed up in the bathroom and searched through Naruto's bathroom drawers. He pulled open the one of one the far left and was greeted with bottles of nail polish, all different colors. Sasuke reached in pulled the bottle of black nail polish out.

"Perfect" Sasuke said to himself.

Downstairs, Naruto fixed 2 cups of ramen and set them down on the table. 10 minutes later, Naruto was already half way done with his, but Sasuke still hadn't come downstairs.

'_I wonder what's taking that emo so long up there?_' Naruto thought to himself '_He'd better not be up there jacking off is all I know. We just showered dammit_'

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when Sasuke finally came downstairs.

"There you are teme!" Naruto exclaimed "What kept you? Your ramen is getting c--"

Naruto stopped himself when he noticed the black nail polish on Sasuke's fingernails and toenails, but the nail polish wasn't what caught Naruto's main focus. Both he and Sasuke could name 20 guys in Konoha who painted their nails, and most of them weren't even gay. What caught Naruto was that **Sasuke** was wearing it.

"You painted you nails Sasuke?' Naruto said questioningly

"Yes, I did. Now we have to hurry, my backpack is still at my house and I need to get it" Sasuke replied, sitting down and eating quickly. After both boys had gotten done with their breakfast, they walked to Sasuke's apartment so that the raven could get his backpack. When he came back out, he was wearing a navy blue hoodie with the Uchiha emblem on the back. Without any further delays or questions, the two lovers made their way to the Ninja Academy.

* * *

In the ninja world, ninjas are trained at a young age to expect the unexpected, to never be surprised and be prepared for anything. However, nothing could have prepared the genin ninjas of the Konoha Ninja Academy for what they saw that morning: Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha walking in together **HOLDING HANDS**. The news that Naruto and Sasuke were going out spread through the academy like a wildfire, actually it spread faster than that! Before the morning even ended, practically the entire academy knew. Of course, there were a couple of big problems.

For one thing, Sasuke had to deal with the jealousy of Naruto's other admirers. You see, Sasuke wasn't the only guy who had lusted after Naruto. I mean, lets face it: with his perfect blend of feminine and masculine features, Naruto looked gorgeous. However, everyone else had been too afraid to approach Naruto. Now that Sasuke had the blonde, they had gained enough courage to do something. All morning, Sasuke had to fend off people who tried to get too "friendly" with his kitsune He'd already gotten into 5 different fights and the morning hadn't even ended! After the 5th fight, Sasuke dragged Naruto into the boys restroom and sucked on Naruto's neck until he left a prominent hickey on a spot that Naruto's shirt collar couldn't cover up. This let all the others know that Naruto belonged to **HIM, **and **HIM **only. Problem one was solved.

Problem number two: Sasuke's fan girls.

After hearing that their beloved Sasuke was going out with Naruto, who was a **boy**, they went hysterical. Most of them didn't believe it, or rather they didn't **want** to believe it. However, when they saw the two holding hands, they knew instantly that this wasn't just a rumor. Of course, they had to blame somebody for "seducing" _their_ precious Sasuke-kun. And guess who the "lucky" winner was. All morning, the girls would give Naruto hateful glares and some even verbally expressed how they felt towards him, yelling nasty and vicious comments. Others actually tried to fight him, but Sasuke fended them off. After they had calmed down some, most of the fan girls actually apologized to Naruto and they felt ashamed at how they had acted. The other bitches, however, just gave Naruto the cold shoulder and ignored him altogether. All of this had taken place in the course of **one** morning. By the time Naruto and Sasuke got to class, they'd been on quite an adventure.

10 minutes later, Sasuke was at his desk, helping Naruto with last night's homework. There were a few problems Naruto didn't understand. As Sasuke watched Naruto work on his last problem, he started to have that urge to hold Naruto again. This time, Sasuke didn't panic, instead he took a deep breath.

"Naruto" Sasuke said, getting Naruto's attention.

"Can I...hold you?" Sasuke asked with a little difficulty. He expected Naruto to argue, but instead, Naruto moved closer to Sasuke and Sasuke wrapped his arms around the blonde, pulling him closer towards him. Naruto continued to work on his last problem while Sasuke held him, with the two of them enjoying the closeness. Sasuke sighed contently. He was fine with this, and if he could've had it his way, he would've held Naruto like that until the end of time. It was then that Sasuke heard that sound again. It was the sound of a cat purring, but there were certainly no cats around. Sasuke had heard it yesterday when he and Naruto had had sex for the first time and when Sasuke was giving Naruto that hickey in the bathroom, but Sasuke hadn't thought much of it. Now he couldn't help but wonder what it was.

Sasuke listened intently and was able to pinpoint where it was coming from. It was coming directly from....Naruto? Not only that, Naruto's body was slightly vibrating, confirming Sasuke's suspicions.

"Naruto, are you....purring?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh..uh...yeah, I am" Naruto said. He hadn't realized that he was purring out loud.

"How do you do that?" Sasuke questioned. For as long as he'd known Naruto, he'd never heard Naruto purr. In fact, he didn't know Naruto could purr at all.

"Well, it has something to do with the nine tailed fox. Kyuubi can do it so I guess it got passed on to me when the Kyuubi was sealed inside of me. I've done it for so long that it's actually become a habit. Whenever I feel good or whenever I'm happy about something, I'll just start purring without realizing it. I purred the entire time we had sex as a matter of fact. I'm surprised you didn't notice." Naruto explained. And he had a point, how did Sasuke **not** notice that? If your boyfriend was purring, that's something you'd notice.

The peaceful and humorous moment was ruined, however, as Sakura and Ino walked into the room, fighting over who would sit next to Sasuke-kun. They had heard that Sasuke and Naruto were going out, but they didn't believe that for a moment. To them, there was no way their perfect and stoic Sasuke-kun would go out with a dead last like Naruto.

When they saw said blonde snuggled close to Sasuke, jealousy and anger instantly took over.

"Naruto! What the hell do you think your doing hanging on Sasuke like that!" Ino yelled when she reached the couple. Nobody could be on Sasuke like that except her.

"Just because we're teammates means nothing. If you don't move away from Sasuke-kun right now, you're **dead**. Your always getting in the way. Your annoying and I'm tired of it. You're nothing but a lonely little orphan who has no chance of fitting in. Now either you move or I'll make you" Sakura said in a menacing tone, cracking her knuckles like last time. She and Ino began to step forward. Normally, Naruto would've moved to defend himself, but he was too shocked by Sakura's words. They had cut him, and they had cut deeper than any blade. How could she say that?

Sasuke, after hearing what Sakura had just said and seeing the tears begin to well up in his kitsune's eyes, slammed his fist down on the table angrily and stood up, almost knocking his chair over in the process.

"Don't you **DARE **lay a hand on him!" Sasuke yelled, glaring with absolute hatred at the two girls and also causing the class to look him. "And I double **FUCKING** dare you take another step!" To say that Sasuke was furious would be the understatement of the century; he was down right **PISSED THE FUCK OFF! **And if looks could kill, both girls would be dead right now. No, they weren't girls. They weren't even human beings. They were bitches, lower than bitches, lower than any trash to ever walk this Earth. It was bad enough that they'd yelled at and threatened _his _Naruto, but for Sakura to say what she had said was crossing a line that you don't ever cross. At that point, Sasuke had finally snapped, as Sakura had no right to go there whatsoever. Sakura and Ino took 5 steps back.

"Sasuke, what are you doing? Why are standing up for Naruto?" Ino asked, even though she already knew.

"Naruto is my boyfriend you stupid whore!" Sasuke shouted back "Both of you need to walk away...right...now" Sasuke was seething, practically shaking, with rage. It took all of his will power to restrain himself from rushing forward beating the living hell out of the two _things_ in front of him. He was being nice and giving them a chance. If they continued to stand there, Sasuke was going to give in to his anger and it wouldn't be pretty.

Ino and Sakura could feel the killing intent coming off of Sasuke in waves and they quickly went to the other side of the classroom and found seats.

Sasuke sat back down and the class went back to their business. They didn't want Sasuke to take his wrath out on them for staring.

After sitting down, Sasuke turned to Naruto.

"Naruto, are you okay? Sasuke asked as he wiped away a couple of tears that threatened to fall.

"Yeah...I'm okay" Naruto replied with a slight pause. He was hurt by Sakura's word, but he was more surprised at Sasuke. Nobody had ever stood up for him before. Usually, whenever Naruto was being made fun or beaten up by the fan girls, Sasuke wouldn't do anything and either look the other way or walk in the opposite direction. But the fact that Sasuke actually stood up for him and protected made Naruto feel better.

5 minutes later, Iruka sensei walked in and class began.

After school, Squad 7, in awkward silence, made their way to the training field to train one on one with their respective masters. Also, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade smiled to themselves when they saw Naruto and Sasuke holding hands. It was obvious the two were made for each other and it was nice to finally see them together. After greetings, the members of Squad 7 went with their masters to their different parts of the training field and began to train.

25 minutes later

After teaching Sasuke a few more fire techniques, Kakashi had Sasuke perform them all to make sure he had then down pact. It had only been a day, but Sasuke had already perfected his fire style techniques. Actually, Sasuke already knew how to do them, they just needed a little work.

"Very good Sasuke" Kakashi said "You've made excellent progress so far"

"Hn" Sasuke replied with his infamous smirk. At this rate, passing the Chunin Exams would be a cakewalk.

"So, how have things gone with Naruto?" Kakashi asked as he started rummaging through his bag for something.

"Good actually" Sasuke said "I told Naruto how I felt about him and what I had been going through and he returned my feelings. It turns out, Naruto had been going through all the same things I had. That was why he wanted to be near me all the time, but he would play it off."

"I see" Kakashi said, pulling out what looked to be a piece of yellow paper.

"And....we made love" Sasuke added.

It wasn't visible, but Kakashi's jaw dropped.

"You did! How was it?" the copy ninja asked

"It was actually very pleasant and did you know Naruto can purr? He sounds just like a cat." Sasuke replied.

"That's good, and actually yes, I did know. I've heard him do it a couple of times" Kakashi said casually.

"You have? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sasuke demanded

"I didn't think it would matter to you at the time" Kakashi said

"Whatever. So, what's that paper for? Sasuke asked pointing.

Instead of answering, Kakashi handed him the piece of yellow paper. It was no bigger than a sticky note. In fact, it was easy to mistake it for being just that.

"I need you to pour some of your chakra into that piece of paper" Kakashi instructed

"Why?" asked Sasuke

"I need to see what type of chakra you have a natural affinity for in order to continue training." Kakashi said

Sasuke nodded and poured some of his chakra into the piece of paper. 3 seconds later, the little piece of yellow paper crumpled.

"I see. So you have an affinity for lightning based chakra just like me." Kakashi said "In that case, this will be easier than I thought. Alright Sasuke, I'm going to teach how to use a jutsu called the Chidori. After that, we'll move on to more advanced lightning style techniques, understood?"

Sasuke nodded once.

"Good" said Kakashi "First gather some chakra into you hand and then........"

* * *

With Naruto and Jiraiya

"Fire Style: Blaze Ball!" Naruto said after making the correct set of hand seals. Naruto took a deep breath and when he blew out, a gigantic fireball was created and it flew toward the rows of target dummies ahead at amazing speed. When it reached it's targets, it exploded in a huge blaze of fire and the vibration from the explosion was so intense that the ground under Jiraiya's fire cracked and almost gave way. When the fire went out and the smoke cleared, there was nothing left of the practice dummies. Instead, there was only a deep crater and the ground was scorched black with ash. Naruto had done this much damage and he hadn't even put half of his chakra into the justu!

'_Incredible_' Jiraiya thought to himself when he saw the damage '_I showed Naruto that jutsu only yesterday, and he can already do this much damage. It's...unreal!_'

Yesterday in their first day of training, Jiraiya showed Naruto the Fire Style: Blaze Ball jutsu in order to test just how strong Naruto was. It was an upgrade of the Fire Style: Fire Ball jutsu, but it was difficult to learn even for a Jonin and it could take months to learn how to do it correctly. Yet Naruto had already nearly mastered it in a day after only seeing it done once the day before! Not even his old teammate Orochimaru could learn it and he was considered a prodigy only seen once in a generation. In fact, Jiraiya had not heard of someone having this kind of skill since Itachi Uchiha.

Naruto not only was very skilled with justsu, but he was also skilled with survival. In yesterday's survival exercise, Jiraiya had Naruto hide in the forest and Jiraiya would try to find him. It was meant to test Naruto's skill with stealth and hiding from the enemy in case he was being tracked. When Jiraiya stepped into the forest, he couldn't find a single trace of Naruto anywhere. There were no footprints, no broken twigs on the ground, and even the dirt looked untouched. Naruto's ability to cover his tracks was already on ANBU level! Not only that, Naruto had hidden his chakra signature as well, something a Genin shouldn't be able to do. Jiraiya did not find Naruto until it was time for the training session to end. Not even the legendary Toad Sage himself (Jiraiya) was this good when he was Naruto's age. With this kind of skill, Naruto could easily be considered to be an extremely gifted prodigy, one of the best minds of his generation. After seeing this, Jiraiya was 100% sure Naruto could learn the next jutsu he was about to teach him.

Jiraiya couldn't help but smile at Naruto. His Rinnegan was activated and he was smiling a his handiwork.

"I did it Pervy Sage!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up in the air. "Damn I'm good!"

"You did excellent Naruto. You may master the Rinnegan yet. If your father was here, he'd be very proud of you." Jiraiya said

Naruto scratched the back of his head and blushed

"Well....I try" Naruto said.

"In fact, I think your ready to learn a new, more advanced justu." Jiraiya said matter-of-factly.

"Really? Like what?" Naruto asked

"This" was Jiraiya's reply. He opened his right hand and concentrated. Suddenly, a blue swirling ball of chakra appeared in his open palm. Jiraiya turned to the large boulder a few feet beside of him and charged towards it. When the blue swirling ball of chakra made contact with the boulder, it left a crater that almost engulfed the entire rock.

Naruto was stunned.

'_What power_' Naruto said to himself.

"I've never seen that jutsu before. What was that anyway?" Naruto asked

"It's called the Rasengan and it's a jutsu that your father, the 4th Hokage, created." Jiraiya explained. "And I'm going to pass it down to you in his place"

"Kick ass! How do we start?" Naruto asked eagerly. After seeing what it could do, Naruto wanted to add the Rasengan to his collection of jutsu. After all, this particular one was his birth right.

Jiraiya pulled out a scroll and opened it. After performing the right hand sign, there was a puff of smoke and a bunch of water balloons appeared. Jiraiya grabbed one and tossed it to Naruto. The he picked one up himself.

"In order to learn how to to do it, you'll need these water balloons. What we'll do is move the water inside the balloon without moving the balloon itself. W'ell move the water inside with our chakra alone, like this" Jiraiya explained as held out his water balloon, but nothing was happening on the outside. Naruto could hear the water churning inside the balloon though, even though he was a few feet away from Jiraiya and shouldn't have been able to hear it.

Thanks to the Kyuubi, Naruto had demon hearing, allowing him to hear things that normal people cannot hear. Naruto would always eavesdrop on conversations people were having at the end of the hallway at the Ninja Academy even though they were whispering and well out of earshot. Naruto could even filter out noise in a crowded room if there was one conversation in particular he wanted to hear. Everything else around him would seem to be on mute except for the conversation he was eavesdropping on. Naruto himself could not explain how he did it, but it was just something he did subconsciously without thinking about.

"We'll go through stages until you get the hang of it. With enough practice, you be able to create the Rasengan in your hand the same way I did." Jiraiya said "Here's what you do for stage 1......"

* * *

Meanwhile with Tsunade and Sakura, Tsunade watched with satisfaction as Sakura climbed one of the tallest trees in the training field without using her hands and then standing upside down on the top branch. What could she say, the girl had excellent chakra control. It was obvious since they started training yesterday that Sakura had better chakra control than Sasuke, but she was on par with Naruto.

"Very good Sakura. You seem to have gotten the hang of chakra control, so come down now" Tsunade yelled up at Sakura. The pink haired girl nodded and walked back down the giant tree.

"Ok, since you have the hang of chakra control, I'm going to teach you the secret behind my strength" the big breasted blonde said.

"The secret to your strength?" Sakura asked, confusedly.

"Watch" Tsunade said. We went to the nearest boulder and punched it. Upon contact, the boulder shattered into a million pieces.

Sasukra's mouth dropped.

"I'm going to teach you how to do that" Tsunade said, pointing to her handiwork.

"Okay, so how do we get started? Sakura asked, eager to begin

"Well you have perfect chakra control already, so now all you have to do is time it to the point of contact. What I mean by that is, you pour a little chakra into your fist and then release it as soon as your fist makes contact with the target. How much chakra you use will determine how strong the hit will be." Tsunade explained

"Oh well, that seems simple enough" Sakura said, "seems" being the key word.

"You'll see how tough it is when you begin, starting....now" Tsunade said.

Sakura poured a little chakra into her fist and towards the nearest tree.

'_This should be interesting_' Tsunade thought as Sakura managed to make at least a dent in the thick trunk of the tree.

* * *

Squad 7 continued to train with their masters until sunset. As they were packing their things, Sakura went over to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, can I talk to you" Sakura asked. She had been feeling guilty for what she had said and she wanted to apologize, but she knew that by approaching Sasuke, she was treading on dangerous ground.

"What do you want" Sasuke asked impatiently. He was in no mood to talk to the girl after what she had said to Naruto.

"I want to say that I'm sorry for how I acted this morning and I shouldn't have said what I said" Sakura asked.

"Sorry doesn't cut it" Sasuke said simply. "You **really **hurt him Sakura. To be honest, you don't deserve to be forgiven after you said. How could you say that to the first friend you ever had?

"What?" Sakura asked.

"Don't you remember? Before Ino came along and fucked everything up, Naruto was your friend. He was there for you when you were all alone. He was the first one who didn't make fun of your forehead. In fact, Naruto was the one who built up your self esteem and taught you to appreciate your large forehead rather than hide it. He taught you to not care what people say about it. Without Naruto, you would've always remained the crybaby wallflower you were. He gave you his friendship, he gave you his love, and this is how you repay him. I can't believe he had a crush on your for this long. You don't deserve to even have Naruto as a friend. All Naruto wanted was your trust and respect, but you couldn't even give him that could you? You broke his heart time after time, but he still loved you. And you don't even care. You don't understand Naruto's pain and what he goes through each day. You don't know what it's like to not have parents. You know nothing about Naruto and you need to apologize to **him**, not me. But to be honest, I don't know what Naruto ever saw in you and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't forgive you. I still remember all the times he cried because of you." Sasuke said, getting everything he had to say off his chest. Sasuke turned and went to wait outside the gate for Naruto to finish packing his supplies.

As Sakura stood there, she thought about Sasuke's words and realized that they were true. She didn't know anything about Naruto. He was the first friend she'd ever had and they used to always hang out together. Naruto was the only person who could always make her smile. He taught her to be proud of her prominent forehead and not cry every time people talked about it. Naruto was the person who lifted her self esteem when nobody else could. He was there for her when she was alone because he felt her pain and Sakura remembered that she was only at her happiest when she was with Naruto. She felt safe with him.

However, when Sakura met Ino Yamanaka, from the Yamanaka clan, everything changed. Or rather, **Sakura** changed. She started spending less and less time Naruto until it got to the point where they wouldn't see each other for weeks at a time. As Sakura spent more time with Ino, she began to act....bitchy. She started to look down at Naruto and sometimes she would act really nasty towards him. Naruto, being the secret genius he was, instantly realized that Ino was turning Sakura against him. However, Ino was only doing this because she was following the example of the other adults. She always saw the other grown-ups acting hateful towards Naruto so she assumed there was something wrong with him and she didn't want her new friend getting the same treatment for being around him. It wasn't long before Saskura was joining in with the other kids when they made fun of Naruto. As if all that wasn't bad enough, she completely forgot the times when Naruto seemed like her reason to live. From that point on, Sakura was a total bitch to Naruto and she would often say evil things just to bring him down. But even after all that, even after all the fucked up things she did and said to him.....he still cared about her.

Feeling the tears welling up, Sakura ran to find Naruto.

Naruto was packing up his last scroll when he heard footsteps. Looking up, he was surprised to see Sakura timidly approaching him.

"Hey Sakura, I thought you had already gone home" Naruto said as he stood up.

"Naruto, I'm sorry for what I said this morning" Sakura said

"Oh that, well....that's okay" Naruto said, being over that situation already.

"No it's not. Naruto, you were the first friend I ever had. You were there for me when nobody else was. You gave me self esteem and helped me become who I am now, but I've been nothing but a total bitch to you. I'm sorry for evil things I said, I'm sorry for abandoning you, I'm sorry for making you cry, I'm sorry I broke your heart, I'm sorry for everything" Sakura said, sobbing the words out.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness, I don't deserve you as a friend, I just don't deserve you at all! It's okay if you don't want to be friends anymore, but please forgive me! I've caused you more pain than anyone else and I'm truly sorry for all of it. I'm sorry Naruto!" Sakura continued, on her knees and crying into her hands.

Naruto walked over brought Sakura into his arms. He gently stroked her back and held her until she stopped crying. Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"I've already forgiven you Sakura-chan" Naruto whispered. Sakura sniffled a little more before speaking.

"I don't understand. Even after everything I put you through, you still forgive me. Why? I don't deserve to be forgiven" Sakura replied softly, her head on Naruto's chest.

"Because your still my friend and you always have been. I never forgot about you and I have to let what happened in the past go. Otherwise, we wouldn't get anywhere and we'd just be bitter enemies. Sasuke is my soulmate and I'm with him, but I won't stop caring about you Sakura-chan" Naruto said, tightening his hug a little.

Sakura smiled and stood up with Naruto.

"Thank you....Naruto-kun" Sakura said before adding the "-kun" suffix to Naruto's name.

Naruto smiled and walked with Sakura to the training ground exit. There, Naruto met with Sasuke and the boys walked home, but not before walking with Sakura to her home as it had gotten pretty dark and Naruto wanted to make sure she made it home safely.

**Ok, here's chapter 9. I'm sorry it was so long. It came out to be longer than I thought it would. Like I said, there would be a little Sakura bashing, but not much. Also, now you realize that Ino isn't all that bad either and you now have her side of the story so try not to think too badly of her. Speaking of which, she'll apologize in the next chapter. The Chunin Exams will be coming soon so bare with me until then. Anyway, Chapter 10 will be up the day after tomorrow if not tomorrow. Take care guys.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Good news everyone, I just got more reviews. I only have 8 now, but who cares, I still got reviews. Also, to JLP, the reason why Naruto didn't say anything when Jiraiya mentioned his father was because Naruto already knew beforehand. In chapter 5, when Naruto was explaining why he hid his strength, there is a line that says "After Mizuki's arrest, Iruka sat Naruto down and told him everything". Iruka was the one who told Naruto about his father being the 4th Hokage, at least in this story. You have to pay attention to the small details too. Otherwise, you might miss something. And I'll explain why Sasuke protects Naruto even though Naruto is stronger and can fend for himself in the next chapter. With all that said, enjoy chapter 10. This chapter probably won't be that good because I really didn't know what to right for this chapter, so everything is just something I thought of off the bat.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 10**

It was the afternoon of the next day and the Ninja Academy had let out 35 minutes ago. It was Friday, and Naruto and Sasuke were enjoying the beginning of their weekend by playing catch in the park with a football. There was still at least 20 minutes before they had to go to the training field, so the two lovers were taking it easy until then. They continued to throw the football back and forth until their arms became tired. Afterwards they sat down for a small break and enjoyed the peace quiet of nature.

As they sat on the park bench flirting with each other, Tsunade appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Old hag? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked from his position on Sasuke's lap.

"Stop calling me "old hag" brat, or I'll kick your ass. And for your information, I came to inform you that you need to be at the training grounds right now." Tsunade said.

"But there's still 10 minutes left before we actually **have** to be at the training grounds" Sasuke said, looking at one of the light post clocks that were posted here and there around the park.

"I know, but you have a mission directly afterwards and Kakashi says that we should start training now while we still have time." Tsunade informed.

"What! Screw that! I finally get to spend more time with my boyfriend and now we have--" Naruto began before the blonde woman interrupted him angrily.

"SHUT UP!!! You haven't been on any missions for a good while, so stop your bitching and get your lazy asses to the training field or I'll drag you there" Tsunade said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

"I wonder what pissed her off" Naruto said to himself as he and Sasuke stood up to leave "I'm telling ya Sasuke, that woman has more mood swings than a pregnant woman."

Sasuke was about to chuckle, but he held it in.

"Naruto" Sasuke said in a scolding tone.

"It's true and you know it teme" Naruto replied.

As the walked towards the training grounds through town, Sasuke noticed the glares the villagers were giving Naruto as he passed by. If he could've, Sasuke would've slapped anyone who even looked their way. Naruto had not destroyed their home or killed their loved ones, the **Kyuubi **did. How could they look at Naruto, even when he was a small child, and see him as a demon? How could they treat someone like that? People always say that demons are evil and heartless creatures, but humanity can be the same way at times, sometimes even worse. Of course, Sasuke realized that that was something that humanity would never admit. Instead of slapping them, Sasuke merely returned the glares of the people they passed and continued on.

As Naruto and Sasuke walked on towards the training field, they passed the Yamanaka clan family flower shop and saw Ino outside watering some flowers that were still in bloom. Ino saw them approaching and cautiously waved. Sasuke only glared, but Naruto, being the person he is, happily waved back. It amazed Sasuke how kind and forgiving Naruto was. Ino had **never** liked Naruto and would always make his life hell every chance she got. Yet, Naruto still respected her. Then again, that's what Sasuke liked about Naruto. He was always happy and respected everyone, even if they were a total dick to him. It kind of made you feel guilty for being mean to him in a way.

"Hey Ino" Naruto said as he and Sasuke walked up.

"Hey...Naruto" Ino said nervously.

Ever since yesterday when Sasuke went off on her and Sakura for saying some really nasty things to Naruto, Ino's conscience had been nagging at her. She had not slept that night and had barely eaten. How would you cope if the boy you liked hated you for even existing? Not only that, she kept thinking about Naruto. As she thought back more and more, she realized that even after all the shit she had put Naruto through, he never once fought back, despite what she'd heard about him being evil and the vessel of a demonic fox. Naruto had never hit her, yelled at her, or done anything that would cause Ino to hate him. Yet she hated him because of an assumption. Naruto wasn't the the monster here....she was, and it had taken her this long to finally see that.

"Whatcha doin?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing, just..uh..watering some flowers" Ino replied, backing away a few steps.

Naruto noticed this and knew she was feeling uncomfortable from yesterday. Realizing this, Naruto decided that they better go. He hated making Ino feel this way.

"Ok...well, me and Sasuke have to get to the training grounds, so I'll see you later" Naruto said as he and Sasuke were about to walk off.

"Naruto, hold a sec" Ino said, gently grabbing Naruto's shoulder.

The blonde vessel turned around and looked at her.

"What's up?" he asked

"Can I talk to you in the flower shop for a minute?" Ino asked nervously as she sat her watering can on the stand the plants were resting on.

"Sure, we have time to spare" Naruto said. He then turned to the bored looking raven behind him "Wait here Sasuke, I'll only be a minute"

"Whatever, just don't take too long" Sasuke replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Naruto followed Ino into the flower shop and she turned to him

"Naruto, I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day. In fact, I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you in the past. I only acted that way because I saw the adults acting that way towards you and then I heard that you had some kind of monster sealed inside of you. I assumed that it was true and I put you through a lot of fucked up things during your childhood that I'm not proud of. After thinking about it, I realized that you never fought back even though I would bully you and now I know that I was wrong. I understand if you don't forgive me. I wouldn't forgive myself either. But, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry" Ino explained, a lone tear appearing in her eye and dropping to the floor.

As Ino dropped her head in shame from being unable to even look Naruto in the eye, she suddenly felt herself being pulled into Naruto's warm chest. This action, of course, surprised the hell out of the blonde haired girl. Naruto was supposed to hate her right now, but instead he was comforting her.

"I've already forgiven you Ino-chan, but thank you for apologizing anyway" Naruto said as he gently stroked her back.

Ino pulled away in confusion.

"Naruto, I don't understand. After everything I've ever put you through, why do you still forgive me? I....don't deserve forgiveness. I don't deserve you kindness. I've treated you like crap since we were kids without even getting to know you. I've been no better than anyone else you've met in your life, but yet you forgive me. Don't you...hate me? Ino asked.

This hadn't gone like she had thought it would. She figured Naruto would slap her and spit in her face like she did to him when they were kids. She thought he would throw her apology back in her face, that's what anyone else would've done. Instead, he forgave her even though she deserved to be hated. Now she knew for sure she was wrong about the blonde in front of her all along. If Naruto was evil, he would hit her back whenever she beat him up. If Naruto was evil, he would've yelled back at her. If Naruto was evil, he never would've forgiven her, but he did.

"No, I don't hate you Ino. I should, but I can't. More hate doesn't solve anything. Also, I understand why you acted the way you did. You didn't want the villagers to treat Sakura the same way they treated me, so turned her against me. I understand the reason behind it, so I'm not mad at you. You were my enemy because of a misunderstanding. If I were to hate you, the cycle would never end and we'd just become bitter towards each other. I want us to be friends, if you'll accept." Naruto explained.

Ino smiled and, walk forward, pulled Naruto into a tight hug.

"Of course I accept Naruto-kun. Thank you for forgiving me, even though I don't deserve it." Ino replied happily after releasing Naruto. She knew she didn't even deserve Naruto as a friend, but she was glad he was here anyway. After patching things up between them, the two walked back outside.

"Bye Naruto-kun!" Ino waved as Naruto and Sasuke walked off. She then went back to watering her flowers, smiling happily now that her conscience was satisfied and she had made a new friend.

Meanwhile, with the two lovers, Sasuke could not believe Naruto actually forgave Ino. He had heard the whole conversation from outside and was expecting Naruto to at least yell at the girl, but he didn't. Instead, he saw it from her point of view and forgave her. What he could he say, Naruto had a kind heart.

"You know dobe, you really are one of a kind" Sasuke said as the training grounds came into view.

"I know, but that's why you love me teme" Naruto said while smiling.

As soon as Naruto and Sasuke arrived at the training grounds, they were not surprised that Kakashi Hatake was was not present. Once again, the masked Jonin was running late and they could not begin training until he arrived, so Jiraiya, Tsunade, Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke had to wait around until then. They had hoped that Kakashi was on his way, but after 15 minutes had passed, their hopes of starting anytime soon were crushed.

Kakashi did not arrive until another 10 minutes later. Upon his arrival, he was met with a lot of angry glares.

"Kakashi sensei, where the hell have you been!!?" Naruto demanded angrily. He was anxious to resume working on the Rasengan again.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I got lost on the road of life." Kakashi said casually.

"LIAR!!!" both Naruto and Sakura yelled at the same time, causing Kakashi to rub the back of his head nervously and sweat drop.

"Anyway, now that I'm here, let's begin training" Kakashi, uncovering his Sharingan eye.

The members of Squad 7 went with their respective masters to the spots where they normally trained and began training as soon as they arrived since they had lost so much time because of a certain Jonin.

With Kakashi and Sasuke, Kakashi was still working with Sasuke to help him learn the chidori. The chidori is a jutsu that channels a large amount of lightning chakra to the user's hand. The amount of chakra used for the technique is so great that the chakra becomes visible and the opponent can actually see it in the users hand. The high concentration of electricity produces a sound that sounds like many birds chirping, hence the name _Chidori._ The technique is classified as an assassination technique because the user must charge forward and thrust their hand into the target at high speeds.

By using the Sharingan to copy the technique, Sasuke had learned how to do it in one day. However, he could only use it twice per day and his wasn't as powerful as Kakashi's. Sasuke had requested that Kakashi teach him the upgraded version of Chidori, called the _Lightning Blade_. Kakashi firmly said no, as the Lightning Blade required better chakra control and it required more chakra to use than the Chidori. It would put a **much** greater strain on Sasuke after only one use and Sasuke's body couldn't handle that just yet. Currently, Kakashi was teaching Sasuke how to master the principles of lightning manipulation and how to perform other lightning based jutsus without the need of hand seals.

With Naruto and Jiraiya, Naruto was making fast progress with learning the Rasengan. Since the Rinnegan allowed the user to quickly learn and master any jutsu, Naruto was already on the third step and was almost finished. He just had to spin the water inside the balloon while using a much denser chakra that could easily cause the balloon to break and he had to spin the water without moving the balloon itself. It seemed near impossible to do, but for Naruto, it was as easy as breathing. By holding concentration, Naruto had been able to keep the water spinning perfectly inside the balloon for 5 minutes straight.

Jiraiya was beyond impressed. The Rasengan was an A-rank move that would take weeks or even months for a genin to learn. It had taken Jiraiya himself 5 and half weeks to even get past stage 1. Yet Naruto had already almost finished learning it in only 2 days!! How he did it, Jiraiya did not know, but he was guessing that it had something to do with the Rinnegan. He was sure of it and it just made him that much eager to learn more about it.

"Okay, now what Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked after he was done with step 3 and handed the water balloon back to Jiraiya.

"Now use everything you learned from steps 1, 2, and 3 and shape the Rasengan in your hand using the wind" Jiraiya instructed.

Naruto did as he instructed and concentrated, manipulating the wind and concentrating it to his palm in the same way he had manipulated the water inside the balloon.

In minutes, the Rasengan was formed and spinning in Naruto's hand. Again, Jiraiya was impressed. He'd had to use shadow clones when he first started. He wasn't able to form it in one had until he became an adult and had more practice with it. Naruto just continued to surprise him each day.

"Look, I did it!" Naruto exclaimed. He looked around and, after spotting a huge tree only a few feet away, charged forward. Naruto thrusted his hand into the tree and the Rasengan grinded away half of the tree's thick trunk before dispersing in Naruto's hand. He smiled in satisfaction. He had not used very much chakra that time just to see what would happen, but he was happy with the results.

"Excellent work Naruto" Jiraiya said when Naruto walked back over "I didn't expect you to learn it this fast"

"So now what will we do?" Naruto asked, eager to learn more new jutsus.

Jiraiya was tempted to teach Naruto how to use other techniques based off of the Rasengan, but he would teach those to Naruto later. Right now he had to work on Naruto's taijutsu skills.

"That's all we'll do for today Naruto. For the time being, let's work on your taijutsu. It seems to be your weakest area" Jiraiya informed him

Naruto nodded and got into a fighting stance, his Rinnegan activated and ready.

Jiraiya got into his own stance and then charged at Naruto....

As for Tsunade and Sakura, Sakura was quickly starting to get the hang of chakra enhanced strength because of her excellent chakra control. So far she could only knock down medium sized trees and make a few dents in large boulders, but it was a start. Currently, Tsunade was working with Sakura to teach her to dodge the enemies attacks if she was to survive in battle. In order to do this, she charged at Sakura at full force and had Sakura dodge hern attacks for as long as she could. Sakura took a few hard hits and recieved a few bruises, but she was making good progress.

Squad 7 continued to train until around 6:00 when they were summoned to the Hokage Tower. After saying good bye to Jiraiya and Tsunade, Squad 7 and Kakashi made their way to the Hokage's office to recieve their assignment. The current reigning Hokage, or village leader, was the Sandaime, or 3rd, Hokage. He had come out of retirement and resumed the Hokage position when the 4th Hokage died. The 3rd Hokage really didn't look all that old. He had a goatee and his hair was grey instead of black like it used to be. He had a few liverspots here and there and a few wrinkles. Other than that, he didn't look his age, of 69, at all. He was currently working on some paper work when Squad 7 and Kakashi walked in. He looked up and smiled warmly, but his warm smile was replaced with a look of surprise when he saw young Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki come in holding hands.

"Is there something going on here that I should know about? "Hiruzen Sarutobi, the 3rd Hokage, asked.

"Yes, it would appear that Naruto and Sasuke have fallen in love" Kakashi said simply

Both lovers had expected the old man to become disgusted, but instead he just smiled warmly.

"In that case, I wish you two the best of luck and may your relationship prosper" the 3rd Hokage said.

"You mean, your not...upset old man?" Naruto asked

"Oh heavens no. In fact, this reminds me of the time Kakashi and Iruka first started dating" The Hokage replied matter of factly.

"What!! Kakashi sensei and Iruka sensei go out!!" Sakura asked, more like yelled, on the verge of feinting from surprise.

'_I didn't know Kakashi and Iruka were going out. I really don't know either of my sensei's at all_' the pink haired ninja thought.

"Yes, we do. I'm surprised nobody told you" Kakashi said casually, turning to look at her.

"This is gonna take some getting used to" Sakura said "Anyway, you called us for a mission Hokage sir?"

"Oh yes, I hate to ask this, but I need you all to escort a few members of the Fuma Clan back to Kirigakure" The third Hokage said " The trip back to Kirigakure is treacherous and is filled with many bandits that have been attacking passer-byes. This has to be classified as an A-rank mission I'm afraid. I understand that this may be quite difficult for you Genin, but all the other teams are away and your team was the only one that is available at the moment. The Fuma Clan members are already waiting at the village gates. Here is the scroll that holds your instructions"

The 3rd Hokage handed Kakashi their scroll.

"Wait a moment" Sasuke said "The Fuma Clan is one of the most fiercest battle clans around. Why would they need assistance from us?"

"Because currently, they are defenseless. They do not have any weapons on them to protect themselves and they happen to be near our area, so they came to us for help" The Hokage explained.

Squad 7 nodded in understanding and left the Hokage Tower. After stopping by their homes to pack their things, they made their way to the village gates. Sasuke and Naruto held hands the whole way there and people kept giving them looks. Some were looks of surprise, others were looks of disgust, other's were just stares. However, nobody dared to speak out.

As Squad 7 arrived, they discovered the Fuma Clan members already waiting at the village gates, just as the Hokage had said. There were 5 members in all: 4 men and 1 woman. They wore long leather skirts and orange-rust colored armor on their chests, stomachs, legs, shins, shoulders and backs. They also wore wooden masks to cover their faces.

"So your the help?" The tallest member asked skeptically. Squad 7 assumed that he was the leader of the small group. " If this all the help we get, then were better off going alone"

Don't be fooled by appearances" Kakashi said "These Genin are strong and are highly skilled at what they do"

"We'll believe that when we see it. Until then, let's get a move on while the sun is still up" The female Fuma Clan member said. They could not see her face, but they could tell it was a woman by her voice, and by her body since she had curves.

Squad 7 nodded and got into position. Naruto took the bottom left, Sasuke took the bottom right, Sakura took the upper left and Kakashi took the upper right. After getting into their rightful positions, Squad 7 followed the Fuma Clan's instructions as they lead the way to Kirigakure, The Village Hidden in the Mist.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Okay everyone, I give you chapter 11. I know that some of you have probably been thinking 'Why does Sasuke protect Naruto even though Naruto is the stronger of the two?" Well that will be explained in the next chapter. There will also be a lemon in the next chapter for you perverts out there. The chunin exams saga will be coming up shortly also. And as a side note, Itachi will make an appearance in this story as well. I've been thinking about writing a story about Itachi and Kisame, but I don't know yet. Anyway, here's chapter 11.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 11**

The group consisting of Squad 7 and the Fuma Clan members had been traveling for 4 hours now. It was 10:00 and dark and they still had not found a good resting place. Naruto's complaining wasn't helping much either. After traveling for 2 more hours, they found a nice, small field to camp out in with a tall tree for a look out to keep watch in.

"Alright, we'll rest here for the night" Kakashi explained " We'll each take turns keeping watch. Naruto, I need you to make a few shadow clones to help keep watch also. Your shared vision will prove useful. I'll take the first watch, then Naruto, then Sasuke, and then Sakura. Each watch will last for 2 and a half hours, understood?"

Squad 7 nodded and began to roll out there sleeping bags.

"Wait a second" a Fuma Clan member commanded "You mean to tell me this blonde kid here can do the Shadow clone technique? That's impossible for a Genin to do. And what's with this "shared vision stuff?"

"Naruto, care to show them?" Sakura asked

"With pleasure" Naruto said as he activated his Rinnegan and made the Shadow Clone hand sign. In a an instant, there were 8 shadow clones, each had a pair of Rinnegan eyes. They took up positions all around the camp and began to keep watch. The Fuma Clan members were speechless! The Shadow Clone Jutsu was a Chunin level technique. A normal Genin shouldn't have been able to do it, yet this scrappy Genin had just done it effortlessly. Not only that, he had a Rinnegan!! They'd heard of it before, but they'd though it was just a myth. Nobody had seen it since the the time of the Sage of the Six Paths, the legendary creator of the Ninja World, modern ninjutsu, and the first host of a tailed beast, like the nine tailed fox.

" How did that kid do that!!? And how does he have the Rinnegan?" the female Fuma Clan member asked. She had taken off her mask and they could see that she had green eyes and light purple hair. She was very beautiful, even though she had a look of surprise.

The other members had taken off their masks as well. The tallest one had fiery red hair tied in corn-row style braids and brown eyes. He also had grey tattoos all over his face. Another member had blond hair, a goatee, a mustache, and a pair of blue eyes. Another member had short red hair that stuck out in the back, grey eyes, and grey tattoos all over his face as well. The last member had short blonde hair that was slicked back. He had blue eyes and wore a red scarf that covered the lower part of his face, much like Kakashi sensei.

"I told you not to underestimate these Genin" Kakashi said "Hopefully, you believe me now"

The Fuma Clan members nodded and laid out their sleeping bags.

2 and half hours later, Kakashi's shift had ended and Naruto had now taken over. Naruto sat in the tree and closed his eyes. He didn't need to keep his eyes open. Whatever the clones saw, he would see, even if his eyes were closed. It was like he could see through his eyelids. So even though his eyes were closed, he could still see.

As Naruto was about to doze off, some of the clones saw movement in the bushes. Immediately alert, Naruto pulled out a kunai and had the clones stay quiet and hidden until whoever or whatever it was came out. He didn't have to wait long as 8 bandits, one on each side of the camp, came out of the bushes. Naruto could hear them snickering with each other, thinking they had found easy prey.

Naruto waited until they came into attack range and threw the first kunai, hitting one of the bandits square in the throat and killing him instantly. Before the bandits could realize that they had already been discovered, the other Naruto clones sprang forth from their positions and quietly slit the throat of most of the bandits. Out of the 8, only 3 three of them managed to escape.

The Naruto clones moved back to their positions as if nothing had ever happened and Naruto continued his watch. The night was peaceful after that and everyone had their turn taking watch.

The next morning, as everyone was getting themselves ready to head out, they noticed the bodies laying around them.

"What the hell happened while we were asleep!?" the one with the short red hair and grey eyes said.

"Calm down Errol" the female member said "Can someone please explain what's going on?"

"Well, while I was on watch, 8 bandits came out of the bushes and tried to ambush us. I killed one of them and the clones did the rest. Unfortunately, 3 of them got away" Naruto explained

"So you killed 5 bandits all by yourself without waking us up? "the one named Errol said questioningly.

Naruto nodded

"Very impressive" Errol replied "In that case, we of the Fuma Clan are indebted to you. My name is Errol.

The other red haired man stepped forth

"My name is Torn" Torn said as he introduced himself

Then the one with blonde hair and goatee stepped forth

"I'm Kleiver" he said

The one with the short blonde hair and red scarf steeped forth

"Hey pretty boy, my name is Jinx" he said sarcastically.

Finally, the purple haired girl stepped forth

"I'm Angela" she said

"Blonde haired boy, what is your name?" Torn asked

"Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki" Naruto said happily. Then he introduced Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi.

"I see. Well, Naruto, if you need anything at all, let us know" Torn said

"I'll keep that in mind" Naruto said honestly.

"It's good to see we're getting acquainted, but we really should get a move on. We still have 2 more days worth of travel" Kakashi pointed out.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and after having breakfast and packing their things, continued on towards the Hidden Mist Village.

The group continued to travel well into the next day while resting here and there. By now, they were more than halfway to the Hidden Mist Village and they were all eager. They were walking along the trail when Naruto sensed a large number of chakra signatures moving cautiously in the woods beside them.

"Kakashi sensei, we have company" Naruto said

"I know, I've already sensed them" Kakashi said casually.

Realizing that they already been found out, a few bandits stepped out in front of the path. Then a few more stepped out behind them. They were surrounded on both sides by a total of ten bandits. Naruto recognized three of the ones in front.

"Hey, your the guys that tried to attack our camp the other night" Naruto said angrily while pointing

"That's him boss. That's the kid that killed our comrades" one of the bandits said while pointing. He wore a white bandanna around his head that hid his hair. He had tan skin and blue eyes.

"You mean to tell me that this **Genin **killed 5 of our best men!?" The leader exclaimed "In that case, they deserve to have been killed if they were beaten by a mere child"

The leader of the bandits was a large and intimidating figure. He stood at 6'6 with muscles that looked to be harder than rock and had a mustache that went across his entire face. Half of his face was covered by a metal plate, covering up some kind of wound. He wore the same kind of battle armor as the Fuma Clan members and he had a large sword at his belt. He had his arms crossed as he glared hatefully at the group before them.

"I should kill you all right now for being so cowardly!! he bellowed in his loud voice.

"But sir, you don't understand. That boy is strong. he hid his chakra presence. We didn't know he was there until were on top of him! Not only that, he used shadow clones and the actual Rinnegan, **the Rinnegan for Christ's sakes!" **the bandit frantically explained. However, he received a hard slap in the mouth that knocked him off his feet.

"You fool! Fear has clouded your mind. A mere Genin cannot do the Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rinnegan hasn't been seen for centuries!! That kekkei genkai is only a myth, just like the Sage of the Six Paths!!" the leader yelled.

"But it's true Praxis! That boy has hidden abilities. He caught us all off guard. He's dangerous and he needs to be dealt with now!" the other surviving bandit said. He had brown hair, tan skin, and light green eyes. Like the other bandits, he wore the same battle armor as the Fuma Clan members.

"Well then, let's see how strong he is" the leader known as Praxis said. He then pointed at the group in front of them "Kill them"

With that one command, the bandits on the path charged.

"Alright everyone, protect the Fuma Clan at all costs" Kakashi said as he uncovered his Sharingan. He pulled out a kunai and easily slit the throat of two bandits that came at him recklessly. He was still mindful of the numerous other bandits hiding in the bushes.

"Sasuke and Sakura, me and Naruto will handle these guys. I need you two to guard the Fuma Clan members with your lives, understood?" Kakashi asked

"Right" they both said in unison.

No sooner had they agreed when the other 3 bandits charged forward with their swords drawn

'_This could be treacherous_' Kakashi thought....

Naruto activated his Rinnegan and pulled out 2 kunai, charging each of them with chakra. Both kunai now had a chakra extension coming from each blade. Naruto stood poised and ready.

"Your going to take us on with kunai? This is going to be easy" a bandit said as he pulled his sword and charged forward with his comrades.

Naruto channeled chakra to his legs and moved with lightning speed. The bandit put his sword in front of him to block the attack, but Naruto literally broke through his sword and stabbed him right in the stomach. He coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Naruto ended his suffering by plunging a kunai into his neck, killing him instantly as he bled to death in a matter of seconds.

The other 4 stopped running, not believing what they had seen. One minute the blonde was a few feet away, the next minute their comrade is dead and the blonde is standing over him. He had moved so fast that he seemed to teleport!! Their disbelief was overtaken by anger a second later. They were not about to lose to a scrappy Genin who got lucky.

As a bandit reached Naruto, the blonde ninja easily cut his attackers sword in half as he swung.

"What!" the bandit cried in disbelief. He then took notice of the chakra extention blades on the kunai. Apparently, they weren't just for show.

Not wasting another moment, Naruto stabbed him in the stomach with both kunai and wrenched upwards with effort, cutting the ninja in half from the waist up! The other bandits, after seeing what had happened, stopped charging, dropped their swords, turned on their heels, and ran. It was a huge blow to their ego to be running from a mere Genin, but that was no ordinary Genin and they valued their lives. However, they would not be leaving anytime soon.

Naruto threw a shuriken up into the air and made a few hand signs.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu" Naruto said

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and that one shuriken multiplied until there hundreds of them.

Naruto pointed at the fleeing bandits and the shurikens shot forth. Each shuriken hit their mark, some even going through their bodies, and the bandits were dead before they hit the ground, shurikens sticking out of their backs like pin cushions.

Sasuke and the others were amazed.

"How did that kid just do that?" Kleiver asked. In all his years, he had never seen a Genin easily fight off 5 full grown men, let alone use the Shuriken Shadow Clone technique. Hell, he'd never even seen 5 grown men run from a child before for that matter. "Heh, there's more to that kid than meets the eye"

'_Yeah_' thought Sakura '_how **did** he do that? And to think I used to called him weak. Just how strong are you Naruto?_'

Kakashi easily dispatched the last 3 three remaining bandits, stabbing one in the neck, another in the the back of his neck, and another in his heart.

'_Okay, that was easy_' Kakashi thought, but he was still aware of the others hiding in the bushes.

Praxis wasn't watching Kakashi, however, he had been watching Naruto the whole time. He had seen everything from the moment Naruto activated his Rinnegan.

"So they weren't lying after all. That boy really is strong" Praxis realized as he gazed at the kekkei genkai that had not been seen for centuries. " You there, blonde kid, what is your name?"

Naruto glared at him, but answered anyway.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. You wanna make something of it?" He said sarcastically.

"Indeed I do. Henceforth, you shall be known as Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan" Praxis said "You may keep that title, if you survive that is. Everyone, attack at once!!"

The numerous other bandits jumped from the bushes, pulled out their swords, and attacked. In the first wave alone, 20 bandits charged forward.

"Let me help out a little" Sasuke said as he went threw a series of hand signs.

"Firestyle: Dragon Flame Bomb" Sasuke said as he inhaled as much air as he could. Then, like a dragon, Sasuke exhaled and streams of flames shot from his mouth. The many bandits that were unlucky were caught in the flames and they burned alive in a few seconds. Sasuke did the technique again in a different direction, killing even more bandits than the last time.

Naruto pulled out his kunai, charged them with wind chakra and began hacking away. Moving at lightning fast speed, Naruto literally cut his foes down to size. The last thing they saw was a yellow blur before their lives ended. Some were decapitated, others had their throats cut, and others were simply cut to pieces. Naruto was a like a buzzsaw on legs, cutting bandits down left and right. Not even Sasuke's Sharingan could track his movements.

Sasuke pulled out his kunai and managed to cut down every bandit that came his way. He got hit a few times, but he still kept going. When he had room, he made a few hand signs.

"Firestlye: Fireball Jutsu" Sasuke blew a fireball out his mouth and vaporized the group of bandits coming towards him. A bandit managed to sneak up behind him and was about to cut the young raven down, But Sakura came from out of nowhere and landed a chakra enhanced punch to his jaw, breaking both his jaw and his neck, killing him and spraying blood.

"Are you okay Sasuke-kun" Sakura asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just keep fighting" Sasuke said, charging forward and cutting down an enemy.

Kakashi grabbed a sword from a dead bandit and charged a little lightning into it. When it radiated with electricity, the Jonin charged forth and began cutting down the bandits that came his way with ease. The Fuma Clan members were tossed a few swords and they joined the battle as well. All around, there was absolute chaos. Bodies, body parts, and blood were **everywhere**!!

Even though Squad 7 and the Fuma Clan had killed many of their attackers, the bandits kept coming in wave after wave. It wouldn't belong before the group became too tired to fight.

Naruto created the Rasengan in his right hand and charged forward. At the same time, a bandit thought he could impale Naruto as the blonde rushed. However, using his lightning fast speed, Naruto seemed to teleport behind the bandit at the last minute, leaving behind an after image, and he thrust the Rasengan into the bandit's back.

The bandit was continuously pushed forward with such force that his feet did not touch the ground as the Rasengan left Naruto's hand upon contact, spinning the bandit clockwise as it went along. Other bandits were caught in his path and were swept along with it. The bandits hit a tree with tremendous force, killing them all instantly as the Rasengan hit. The one that had originally been hit had his entire back grinded away by the time the Rasengan stopped.

'_What kind of jutsu was that_?' Thought Sasuke '_I've never seen that before_'

He didn't have time to think about it because more bandits came charging towards him. Sasuke then went through a series of handsigns.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu" Sasuke inhaled and then blew a long series of fireballs out of his mouth. Each fireball hit their target and the bandits were turned to ashes before they hit the ground.

Sakura was still managing to hold up her end with her chakra enhanced strength. The air was filled with the sound of breaking bones as Sakura attacked the bandits that came at her, once again falsely assuming that since Sakura was a girl, she'd be easy prey. One of them made the mistake of grabbing Sakura from behind. Sakura channeled a little chakra into her elbow and slammed it into the bandit behind her, actually caving his face in.

Kakashi was still using his lightning enhanced sword and was cutting down all who came his way.

The Fuma Clan members were having a field day. They were a battle clan so they were used to this sort of thing. They were throwing dead bodies left and right like there was no tomorrow.

Finally, the number of bandits dwindled down until there were only a handful left. The remaining bandits were stunned. This was only a team of Genin, defenseless Fuma Clan members, and a Jonin, yet they defeated over 50 heavily armed bandits.

Naruto took care of the remaining few by running at them with his lightning fast speed and he seemed to go right through them and then stop beside Kakashi sensei. A split second later, there was the sound of blood spraying as the bandits' bodies violently fell apart. Naruto had cut them to pieces when he ran by, it just took a few seconds for the damage to register.

Praxis took a step back, disbelief written all over his face. His best men had just been slaughtered and now he was on his own. Even the three that had managed to survive the camp ambush were dead now.

"This cannot be!!" Praxis yelled. He was looking and feeling pretty stupid right about now "I, Baron Praxis, will not be made a fool of, you hear me!!! You will all pay for this!"

With speed equal to that of Naruto's, Praxis seemed to teleport in front of Sakura. He knocked the girl unconscious and carried her under his arm.

"I believe this girl will make a nice sacrifice. Wouldn't you agree?" Praxis said evilly. Before anybody could make a move, Praxis used his lightning fast speed, and ran off.

"Sakura-chan!!" Naruto yelled as Praxis disappeared.

Naruto fell to his knees, disappointed in himself for not doing something.

"Don't worry Naruto, we'll track him down. I managed to get a piece of clothing from one of the bandits. I can have one of my ninja dogs track the scent and lead us to the bandit compound" Kakashi said reassuringly.

"Really?" Naruto asked looking up.

Kakashi nodded, pulled out a kunai and made a small cut on his thumb. After making a number of hand signs, Kakashi slammed his hand down on the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled. Suddenly there was a puff of smoke and small ninja dog appeared. He appeared to be a pug with light brown fur and he had a leaf ninja head band tied around his head.

"You called Kakashi?" the dog said in his deep, gruff voice. He then looked around and his eyes almost popped out of his head at the bloody sight all around him "Holy shit! What the hell happened here!?"

"I'll explain later Pakkun. Right now, I need you to track this scent" Kakashi said as he pulled a piece of cloth out his pocket and held it down so Pakkun could sniff it.

After taking a few good whiffs, Pakkun sniffed the air and locked onto the scent immediately.

"I've got it. Follow me" Pakkun said. He jumped up to the trees and bounded off, Squad 7 and the Fuma Clan following close behind.

'_Hold on Sakura-chan, we're coming_' Naruto said to himself desperately. Those bandits would pay for this. First they attack his comrades, then they abduct someone precious to him. They'd all pay for this, Naruto would make sure of that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. I only own the character named Angela.**

**Okay my fellow reviewers, I'm glad that you all have enjoyed the story so far. Also, in case some of you hadn't noticed, the characters I used for the Fuma Clan members are characters from the video games Jak 2 and Jak 3 from the Jak and Daxter series. Most of you probably didn't pick that up, but I decided to add them in because I could think of anything else. By the way, Jak 2 and Jak 3 are great video games and I recommend them to all. And Naruto now has a reputation, Naruto Uzumaki: Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's all I've got. I got the idea because I noticed how his father had a reputation as the "Yellow Flash of Konoha" and Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade had the reputation of "The Sannin". So I figured, why not give Naruto a reputation? I hope you guys like it, and don't worry, the word will spread before the Chunin Exams begin. I'm sure you guys are getting tired of me talking, so here's chapter 12. Enjoy.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 12**

The group had been following Pakkun for 2 hours as he led them to their destination. The whole way, Naruto was beating himself up over Sakura's kidnapping. Baron Praxis, the leader of the bandits that had attacked them, had kidnapped Sakura, but all Naruto had done was stand there. He was too stunned to do anything, and now Sakura had been captured because of his foolishness.

'I'm sorry Sakura-chan' Naruto said to himself 'I could've done something, anything, to save you, but I didn't. I just stood there like a coward'

"This all my fault" Naruto said out loud "If I hadn't of let those 3 bandits escape, then that attack wouldn't have happened. I'm sorry I got you dragged into this"

"Naruto, don't you dare blame yourself" Sasuke said heatedly "Nothing is your fault and nobody is blaming you for anything. This could've happened to anyone, so don't beat yourself up over it"

Yes, don't worry Naruto-san, we'll get your teammate back. You can count on it" Torn said as he leaped from another tree branch.

Naruto looked back at the smiling faces of the Fuma Clan, and he felt a little better. At least he knew everyone did not hate and blame him for what happened. But he still felt a little guilty for not doing something to stop Sakura from being kidnapped.

After traveling for another hour, Pakkun announced they were nearing their destination. Jinx took this opportunity to learn about their attackers.

"So, can anyone explain exactly who these bastards are?" Jinx asked. He wanted to know who they were going up against.

"They are known as the Marauder Syndicate. They are an organization of bandits who have banded together and actually started a community for themselves. They are composed of thieves and murderers that have abandoned their home villages and they have been ambushing travelers that come through here for years. It's basically how they make their money. Everything they have, they have stolen from other people over the years. Their leader is named Baron Praxis. Not much is known about him except that he is from Kusagakure, the Village Hidden in the Grass." Kakashi explained. After seeing that everyone understood so far, he continued.

"In order to join the Marauder Syndicate, you to have to either be a master thief or you have to have killed someone. These guys are serious bad news and they know it. They walk around and bully anyone else that is weaker than them. Because of their sheer numbers, they believe themselves to be unstoppable and they believe that they can do as they please. Nobody bothers to stop them anyway because they are too afraid to take action. However, after finding out that their comrades had been killed while on a raid, they took this as a personal challenge and tracked us down. They don't like losing very much. That's why so many of them came after us. They use their numbers to intimidate others and to get what they want. They have no remorse and they show mercy to no one, not even women and children or each other. It's basically dog-eat-dog in their society." Kakashi finished.

" I see. So we're dealing with animals then" Jinx said in realization.

"I can't help but notice you guys have their armor. Have you tangled with them before?" Pakkun asked.

"Actually no. We bought it from them" Kleiver said.

"Oh. Well never-mind then" Pakkun replied.

The group continued on for another hour before they finally reached the bandit stronghold. It wasn't that large, but it was still pretty sizable. The buildings were made of wood with spikes on the edges and around the roofs. Basically, every building had spikes on them. There were torches here and there and the entire stronghold was guarded by a wooden gate. There some stores, hotels, and bakeries scattered around, and in the center of the village was the town square. There, the merchants traded what they had stolen from others along their travels on the black market. It was very crowded and very noisy. The tallest building was located here also. It looked like an exact replica of the Hokage Tower in Konoha except it was made of wood and there were spikes all over it. Obviously, that was where Baron Praxis resided.

In the center of the town square, there was a metal cage with a pink haired girl inside. She looked very weak and people were laughing at her and throwing garbage at her. Some were even throwing pebbles at her cage in order to make her jump. Seeing all of this made Naruto's blood boil. He was beyond pissed off!! Already, he was forming a plan within his head; a plan that was sure to put an end to this Marauder Syndicate once and for all. Nobody else would have to suffer like that ever again.

"There's Sakura" Sasuke said, watching the scene with disgust. Sasuke didn't like Sakura all that much, but nobody deserved this. He wouldn't even wish this sort of thing on Itachi.

"So what do we do?" Angela asked.

"I have an idea. It's crazy, but it just might work" Naruto said. Everyone crowded around him and listened to his plan intently.

Baron Praxis made his way to the balcony that over looked the entire stronghold. He had to admit, he had it made. Not only was he a rich and powerful man, but he also had an entire organization under his control. Nobody would dare oppose him and nobody had ever tried. So what if he lost over 50 of his men in the fight against the Rinnegan user. There were more where they came from. He could do anything he wanted and he knew it. This was the good life and he would cherish it for as long as he lived. So what if it meant stealing from and killing others. The world was a crowded place anyway. Besides, the strong must serve the weak, and as far as he was concerned, he **was **_"the strong". _His men feared him whenever his name was even mentioned, but that didn't unnerve him in the least. Fear was what kept the men in line, and he would use it for all it was worth. He was the all powerful Baron Praxis and there was nothing anybody could do about it. As if all of that wasn't good enough, he now had the female member of the team that had murdered his men.

As Baron Praxis stood on the balcony, all activity on the ground below stopped and everyone turned to look up at their leader.

"Attention my loyal followers!! As you are all aware, we have lost over 50 of our best men today because of this girl and her treacherous team. They mercilessly slaughtered our comrades and left their bodies to rot out in the sun. Now, we have their female as our prisoner. Do with her as you please gentlemen. Avenge your fallen comrades, and make this worthless bitch pay for what she has done!!" Baron Praxis yelled in his loud, booming voice.

The bandits let out a cheer and they began to crowd around Sakura's cage. The pink haired girl could do nothing but whimper. The drug they had injected her with was still in effect and she'd didn't have any strength to fight back. The door to her cage was unlocked and all Sakura could do was close her eyes and wait for the inevitable. Suddenly there was an explosion, followed by another and then another. Explosions rang throughout the entire stronghold, destroying buildings and killing all those who were unlucky enough to be caught in the blast radius.

The bandits looked around in surprise as more and more of their stronghold was reduced to rubble in a matter of minutes.

"We're under attack!" one of the bandits yelled. The other bandits sprang into action and pulled out their weapons, waiting for their attackers to show themselves. They didn't have to wait long however. A Naruto clone came out of the rubble and ran into the middle of the crowd with lightning speed. Before the bandits could react, the Naruto clone exploded, killing many of the bandits nearby. The bandits were thrown in disarray as more Naruto clones came out of the smoke and rubble and exploded throughout the stronghold and the town square, causing Sakura's cage to rock back and forth. All around her, bandits were literally blown to pieces by the Naruto clones as they exploded.

The explosions stopped and the bandits looked around, confused.

"I think it's over" one of the bandits said. However, he was quickly proven wrong by what happened next.

The sun was blotted out by what appeared to be a giant black cloud. But this cloud wasn't like other clouds. It seemed to pulse and move as though it were alive. Not only that, it seemed to be racing closer and closer towards them.

"Is that a cloud?" One of the bandits asked

Another bandit pulled out a compact telescope from his pocket and looked through. What he saw made him piss on himself.

"That's not a cloud, those are shurikens!!" he yelled "Everybody take cover!!"

Sakura didn't need to be told twice. Sakura hopped out of her cage and ran under a large shield that had been dropped by one of the blown up bandits. No sooner had she taken cover when the thousands upon thousands of shurikens touched down. The bandits scurrying to find cover were turned into pin cushions as the shurikens embedded themselves into their bodies. Some of the shurikens went through their bodies completely. Limbs were cut off and screams of pain echoed throughout the entire stronghold. The rain of shurikens killed twice as more bandits than the explosions did. Only those who were lucky enough to find cover survived, which was still a significant number of them.

Baron Praxis stood from balcony and watched in horror as his men were butchered before his eyes. There was nothing else he could do, but stand there and helplessly watch as his perfect world came crashing down around him. He now felt the same helplessness and despair as his victims, and he now understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end.

Meanwhile, on top of the hill. Naruto watched as his plan unfolded. The stronghold was mostly ruins and a **very large **number of the bandits were now dead. Naruto's plan had almost failed, however, when Sakura hopped out of her cage. Why she did that, nobody knew. She would've been safe inside the cage. The holes in the cage were not big enough for the shurikens to pass through. Luckily, Sakura managed to find cover in time, so all was good.

Sasuke had to admit, Naruto's plan was genius, crazy, but still genius. Naruto created a shitload of shadow clones and sent **some** them into the stronghold, killing the guards at the gate easily and quietly. Once they were inside, they used their lightning fast speed to zip to their locations. Before the bandits could question what was going on, Naruto made the shadow clone hand sign and used the Shadow Clone: Super Explosion Jutsu to make the clones self destruct. The explosion not only destroyed most of their stronghold, but killed a good number of the bastard bandits also.

As the clones blew themselves up, Naruto had everyone throw their shurikens up into the air. As a true testament to his skill, Naruto used the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu to make copies of every single shuriken until there were thousands upon thousands of them floating in the sky. Naruto pointed towards the stronghold, and the shurikens flew further up into the sky until they blocked out the sun itself. Using the momentum, the shurikens rained down like hellfire and slaughtered the large number of bandits out in the open.

Everyone was beyond speechless. In fact, speechless couldn't describe it. Naruto Uzumaki, a mere Genin and the dead last of his class, was bringing one of the most powerful crime organizations ,in the same league as the Akatsuki, to its knees and now was the perfect time to strike.

"Alright Naruto, what should we do now?" Errol asked, liking how this plan was unfolding. He had to admit, the kid had style.

"Now we attack before they recover" Naruto said, activating his Rinnegan and pulling out 2 kunai and adding the wind chakra nature to them, giving them chakra extensions that went a few inches past the blades. "Everyone, attack!!"

The Naruto clones pulled out their own kunai, added the wind chakra nature to them, and charged forward to follow their leader into the stronghold.

"You heard the boy" Kakashi said as he uncovered his Sharingan and pulled out the sword he had gotten from the last fight. After charging it with lightning chakra, he charged forward into the compound.

Sasuke and the Fuma Clan pulled out their own weapons and charged in also. By the time they got inside, the battle had already started. Bandits were being slaughtered left and right. They had been caught off guard before they could recover from the attack and now they were paying for their years of cruelty.

Kakashi made a few hand signs and the lightning around his sword became more intense and more concentrated.

"Lightning Blade" Kakashi said as he charged forward into the group of bandits in front of him. Kakashi moved with blinding speed and swung while charging right through them. The bandits were cut to pieces and then their bodies were incinerated by the lighting before they could hit the ground. Kakashi had no time to gloat as more bandits came towards him. However, they were cut down before they could even swing their swords, their bodies incinerated by the lightning charged sword.

Sasuke went through a series of hand signs as a large group of bandits charged at him.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb" Sasuke exhaled and blew a stream of fire from his mouth. The flames engulfed the bandits before they could stop running, burning them all to ashes that were blown away by the wind.

Another group of bandits got bold and charged at him even after they seen what happened to their somrades. They figured that they'd die fighting rather than run.

Sasuke went through another set of hand signs.

"Fire Style: Exploding Flame Shot" Sasuke said as his hands glowed an orange-reddish color. Sasuke raised his hand and launched a series of fireballs at his attackers as he ran forward to reach Sakura, who was still hiding under the shield. The fireballs hit their targets, and the bandits were incinerated.

Sasuke had to stop running as a large number bandits blocked his path.

"Damn it" Sasuke said out loud "Hold on Sakura, I'll be there in a moment."

Sasuke made another number of hand seals.

"Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning" Sasuke said. He opened his mouth and a large cloud of ash came out that quickly engulfed the large group of bandits.

Sasuke clicked his teeth together and the cloud of ash ignited, resulting in a fiery explosion. The bandits inside were not killed, but they suffered 3rd degree burns that incapacitated them and they fell to the ground screaming in agony.

Sasuke smirked and continued forward.

After fighting their way through, Naruto and the Fuma Clan managed to reach Sakura, who was till hiding under the shield.

"Sakura-chan, you can come out now. Are you okay?" Naruto said, pushing the shield away. Sakura looked up, and then wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck.

"Naruto-kun, I knew you'd come to save me" Sakura said as she held onto Naruto for dear life. At that moment, Sasuke showed up.

"Teme, I've got Sakura-chan. "Naruto said "We need to get out of here and now"

"Agreed" Sasuke said.

By now, most of the remaining bandits were dead with only a few survivors here and there. This made it easier to meet up with Kakashi and escape.

As they got back to the top of the hill, they heard a loud booming voice shout from within the destroyed stronghold and they recognized it immediately.

"Follow them!! Do not let them escape you fools!!" Baron Praxis yelled. The few remaining bandits regained themselves and began to follow in pursuit.

"Everyone, take Sakura-chan and go on ahead" Naruto instructed.

"What! Naruto-san what are you--" Angela began, but Naruto cut her off.

"Just do as I said. Take Sakura-chan and go on ahead" Naruto said in a firm voice.

Angela nodded and took Sakura into her arms. Then her and the others bounded off to a safe distance where they could still see what was going to happen.

Naruto, with his Rinnegan activated, did a number of hand seals. Both Kakashi and Sasuke recognized the hand seals immediately.

"Fire Style: Blaze Ball!" Naruto yelled as he inhaled to gather chakra into his chest and then exhaled, blowing out a meteor-sized fireball, this time putting more chakra into it.

The large fireball shot forward, vaporizing the bandits that stood in its way as it continued toward the destroyed stronghold.

* * *

Baron Praxis was infuriated beyond belief!! His perfect world had come to a violent end and he didn't like it, who would for that matter? In a matter of minutes, he'd lost everything: his stronghold, almost all of his men, his palace, his money, his empire!! All of it was gone, but he'd get it back. Praxis did not see this as the end. No, instead, he saw it as a way to reform. He would rebuild the Marauder Syndicate from the ground up and it would become more powerful than it had ever been. He smirked. This wasn't the end. He would regain everything he had lost and more.

The Baron's smirk disappeared, however, as he saw a huge fireball coming towards him. It was the last thing he saw. In fact, it was the last thing all of them saw. The fireball reached the stronghold and exploded in what one would call a nuclear explosion. In a split second, the remains of the entire stronghold, the remaining few hundred bandits that were left, and Baron Praxis himself were vaporized, wiped clean off the face of the Earth.

Naruto and the others took cover and watched the fireworks, feeling the heat even though they were a good distance away. The explosion left behind a mushroom shaped cloud, but when that was blown away by the wind, all that was left was a huge, deep crater. There was no evidence to prove that anything had ever even been there.

Nobody could say anything. They didn't know what to say anyway. They had just witnessed a Genin completely annihilate one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the Ninja World. That wasn't something someone saw everyday. Hell, they'd be lucky to see something like this even once in their lifetime.

"What the hell was _that_?" Jinx asked in complete disbelief.

"That was the Blaze Ball technique. It's one of the most difficult and most advanced fire jutsus around. It's also one of the most powerful. It's a technique that not even the most experienced of shinobi can do and it takes months and sometimes even years to learn and master because of the chakra you have to put into it. In other words, it's a technique that is impossible for a Genin to learn, but Naruto has just broken that barrier. Even I cannot do it and probably can never hope to. " Sasuke explained, staring straight ahead at the scene before him.

Kakashi stared ahead in disbelief as well. In all of his years, he had never seen a Genin with such power that surpassed even the Sannin.

'_Naruto, how strong have you already become?_' Kakashi thought to himself, and then chuckled softly '_Naruto Uzumaki, your a once-in-a-lifetime-genius_'

"Okay, we're done here everyone. So let's get a move on. Kirigakure isn't that far away from here." Naruto said as he turned back around and deactivated his Rinnegan.

Not wanting to waste more time, everyone nodded and bounded back towards the path. After finding their way, the group continued on to towards Kirigakure.

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and review when you can. Chapter 13 will have a lemon and I should have it up by tomorrow, maybe. Also, if you want this to be a mpreg fic, review and let me know. Also, I'll explain why Sasuke protects Naruto even though Naruto is obviously the strongest of the two in the next chapter. I know some of you have been wondering about that.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. I only own the Angela character.**

**Okay my reviewers, Naruto and the others have finally reached the Village Hidden in the Mist. You'll have to read on to see what happens next. For a heads up, this chapter will have a lemon for all of you perverts out there. So for those of you who don't like lemons, then you skip that part. Also, if any of you want this to be a mpreg fiction story, let me know in your reviews. If you don't want it to be, then that's okay too. It's up to you guys. Well, I have nothing else to say, so here's chapter 13. Enjoy the story as it unfolds people.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 13**

After traveling for another 5 and a half hours, Naruto and the others finally made it to Kirigakure, even though they almost got lost in the the thick mist surrounding the village. They were allowed permission in, and once they were inside, they took a look around. The buildings were cylindrical and made of wood. There were shops, apartments, parks, bakeries, merchants, and houses scattered here and there. They could make out the largest and widest cylindrical building in the whole village, meaning that was where the Mizukage, the village leader, stayed. It was kind of hard to see though because of the thick mist in the area.

"Kakashi sensei, is there any place where we can rest? Because I'm really tired" Sakura said while yawning. It was already night time, so Kakashi decided that they would spend the night here until tomorrow. Luckily, there was a hotel nearby.

The group walked in through the front entrance and checked in. After checking in and reserving their rooms, the group went upstairs to crash for the night. Luckily, their rooms were on the same floor , which made things easier. Kakashi would get a room to himself, Torn and Errol would room together, Kleiver and Jinx would room, Sakura and Angela would room, and Naruto and Sasuke would room. Nobody had any objections, so they all went to their designated rooms.

Naruto turned the room key in the lock and walked inside and almost had his jaw hit the floor. The room was amazing! As soon as they walked in, they were in the living room. The living room had two leather couches with an end-table in between them. There was a sparkling glass coffee table in front of each couch. In front of the coffee tables was the plasma screen television sitting on the wood entertainment set. Beside the television on the right was a door that lead to the bedroom. On the far left, beside one of the couches, was a door that lead to the bathroom. On the far right, beside the other couch, was a sliding glass door that lead to the balcony.

On the left of the entire living room once you came in was the the open kitchen.

"Whoa! This place is bitchin!" Naruto exclaimed as he took his shoes and head band off by the door. It looked even better than his apartment back home. Hell, he wouldn't mind living here.

"Contain your enthusiasm dobe" Sasuke said as he sat his backpack down by the door and kicked his shoes off along with his head band also.

"Whatever. You know, I actually wouldn't mind living here" Naruto said as he turned to Sasuke.

Sasuke had been thinking about what Naruto did back at the bandit stronghold and he couldn't help but ask.

"Naruto, how did you learn the Blaze Ball technique?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know. Pervy Sage showed me how to do it, and I just picked it up easily. Why do you ask?" Naruto asked the raven.

"Because that is a jutsu that is impossible for a Genin to learn. I don't even know how to do it. In fact, the Blaze Ball Jutsu is a jutsu that even the most experienced of shinobi have diificulty learning. It takes months and even years to learn and master. I don't understand how you did it." Sasuke explained.

"Oh well, for me it wasn't that hard at all. In fact, I learned it in 5 minutes. I had to practice though to make it stronger. By the next day, I had mastered it. Although, can't you just copy the technique with your Sharingan?" Naruto asked. He honestly didn't see why the Blaze Ball technique was so hard to do for others. It came easy for him to learn it.

"Naruto, learning and mastering a jutsu like the Blaze Ball technique isn't normal for a Genin. You learned it that fast because of the Rinnegan. Somehow, it lets you learn and master any jutsu you come across in no time at all. And no, I cannot copy it with the Sharingan. I have to meet the right conditions to copy a jutsu. I can't just copy it. In order to do the Blaze Ball Jutsu, I need to have much bigger chakra reserves and perfect chakra control to keep it stable. Those are things that I do not have yet and those 2 conditions are also the reason why it is so difficult to learn. It is a jutsu that I need to have" Sasuke explained.

"Why do you want to learn it so badly teme?" Naruto asked. He had never seen Sasuke this determined about something.

Sasuke was not ready to tell Naruto the main reason he wanted to learn it, so instead he told the second reason.

"I need to learn it so I can protect you" Sasuke said casually.

Naruto sighed

"Sasuke, listen. I know you mean well, but I don't need you to always hold my hand. I can fend for myself sometimes, okay" Naruto explained. Honestly, Sasuke could be a little over protective at times.

"I know that Naruto, but I'm going to protect you anyways" Sasuke replied.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke felt like falling over at that one. Did Naruto really have to ask.

"Naruto come sit down" Sasuke commanded as he lead the way to one of the couches and sat down with Naruto on his lap.

"I'm going to protect you because I love you Naruto. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I left on your own? I'll let fight your own battles, sure, but I'll step in every now and then. That's what you do in a relationship dobe, you look out for each other. When will you realize that your not alone anymore Naruto? I'll always be there for you regardless of whether or not you want me to be Naru-chan" Sasuke explained as he pulled Naruto into a hug and gently rubbed his back. "I love you with all my heart Naru-chan. Never forget that."

When Naruto pulled back, he had tears in his eyes, but they did not fall.

"I love you too....Sasuke-kun" Naruto replied.

Normally, Sasuke would object to being called "Sasuke-kun" because it sounded slutty when his fan girls said it. When Naruto said, however, it sounded....right. It sounded...well....sexy.

Naruto leaned in and kissed Sasuke on the lips gently. Sasuke returned the kiss and the two made out passionately on the couch.

**[Lemon starts here]**

Naruto leaned on top of Sasuke while they made out until Sasuke was on his back. Naruto licked along Sasuke lip and Sasuke granted Naruto entrance, opening his mouth and letting the blonde's tongue in. The continued to kiss until they had to break way for air.

After looking into each other's eyes for a moment, Naruto stood up and went into the bathroom. He came out a second later with a towel.

"This could get messy like last time" Naruto said as he walked towards Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded in understanding and pulled Naruto back into his lap. After the two had sat back down, Sasuke removed Naruto's shirt and instantly latched onto the junction between his neck and shoulder. Sasuke licked and sucked at the spot, causing Naruto to begin purring. After licking at the newly formed hickey one last time, Sasuke undid Naruto's pants and slid them off along with his boxers' allowing Naruto's cock to spring forth, throbbing with unfulfilled need.

Seeing the sight made and hearing Naruto purr made Sasuke harder than he already was. Naruto felt Sasuke's dick twitch beneath him, so he decided to tease the raven a little. Naruto removed Sasuke's shirt and took the time out to feel his chest and abs, actions that Sasuke did not mind in the least.

Naruto kissed down Sasuke's chest until he reached his pants. Naruto unzipped them and slid both his shorts and boxers off, freeing Sasuke's large, aching erection.

Unable to stand it anymore, Sasuke got onto the floor and opened his legs, giving Naruto the silent pleading message.

Naruto layed the towel down on the floor and leaned in between Sasuke's bent legs. Licking at the tip a few times, Naruto took the entire head of Sasuke's penis into his mouth and suckled on it firmly. Sighing in content, Sasuke fell onto his back and let Naruto go to work.

After swallowing the stiff shaft, Naruto began to bob his head until the head of Sasuke's organ touched the back of his throat. To add to Sasuke's pleasure, Naruto began to purr, sending vibrations up and down the hard flesh within his mouth. Sasuke moaned out loud, no longer able to contain it. The pleasure was too mind-numbing. Sasuke unknowingly opened his legs wider.

Naruto reached down between his own legs and stroked his cock with each bob of his head. Naruto's penis had become so stiff at that moment that the blonde was surprised it hadn't snapped off. When Sasuke's penis twitched slightly, Naruto prepared himself and took Sasuke's cock from his throat, but he still continued to suck at a firm pace. The pressure kept building until Sasuke finally could not hold it anymore

"Ah, Naruto, yes, I'm cumming! I'm cumm-ahhh!!" Sasuke exclaimed as came hard inside of Naruto's mouth. The blonde eagerly swallowed Sasuke's warm cum as he reached his own orgasm, his cum spraying on the towel beneath him.

Despite both of them reaching completion, they were still very much hard.

Taking the opportunity while Sasuke was still coming down, Naruto went further down and took Sasuke's balls into his mouth and began to pull and suck on them.

Sasuke was in absolute ecstasy. This felt better than the last time and Sasuke never wanted it to end. However, things needed to move along.

Sasuke gently pushed Naruto away and stood up. Sasuke then helped the blond kitsune vessel to his feet, picked him up, and carried him to the kitchen where he sat Naruto on the kitchen table. The two made out for a few minutes, Sasuke standing in between Naruto's legs and letting their erections touch. The contact only fueled the lovers on even more, making them even harder than they already were.

After kissing passionately, Sasuke laid Naruto on his back and crawled on top of him. Sasuke then leaned downwards and sucked on one of Naruto's nipples while playing with the other one, causing Naruto to start purring again and the blonde tangled his hands in Sasuke's beautiful dark hair.

After giving Naruto's other nipple equal attention, Sasuke leaned forwards and sucked on Naruto's earlobe, causing the blonde to writhe under him. Wanting to give Sasuke pleasure too, Naruto reached between them and grabbed Sasuke's erection.

Sasuke pulled away from Naruto's ear and groaned in bliss. Naruto's hands were soft and smooth and they felt wonderful. In response, Sasuke moved up a little more to give Naruto more access. Naruto accepted the silent invitation and played with the head of Sasuke's penis for a minute, gently squeezing and kneading it before stroking the entire thing slowly.

"Oh God, Naruto, more!" Sasuke exclaimed as Naruto's hand picked up a little more speed and the blonde began to softly squeeze Sasuke's erection every now and then while he stroked him.

Sasuke moved up until he sat on Naruto's upper chest. Naruto understood the silent message and leaned his upper body up a little, once again taking Sasuke penis into his mouth and sucking firmly once he was up enough. Sasuke threw back his head and let out the moans he had been holding within. He couldn't help it. After all, it wasn't his fault that Naruto was good with his mouth. The boy could suck like a vacuum

Knowing that his next orgasm was coming soon, Sasuke reluctantly pulled his cock from Naruto's mouth and slid back down until both of his feet touched the cool tile floor of the kitchen. Sasuke positioned himself and sheathed himself within Naruto. Sasuke's cock slid in easily and Naruto's legs were now on either side of him.

After pausing so that Naruto could adjust to his large size, Sasuke pulled out until only the head of his penis remained inside, but then quickly thrusted back inside. Sasuke then started to thrust inside of Naruto at a firm and fast pace, enjoying the feel of Naruto's inner warmth. In response, Naruto subconsciously tightened his rectal walls around Sasuke's flesh, causing the raven to pick up speed and thrust harder. Angling his thrusts, Sasuke struck Naruto's prostate again and again, causing Naruto to release very feminine-like moans and purr louder.

" Oh God! Yes! More Sasuke, more!!" Naruto exclaimed as his prostate was stimulated and his cock gained friction on the skin of Sasuke's stomach.

Sasuke realized that Naruto might be sore in the morning, but he didn't care about that. Right now, all he cared about was pleasuring his kitsune, and his kitsune wanted more. Grunting in approval, Sasuke moved up on top of the table with Naruto, allowing the raven to pound into Naruto harder and faster than before as his bulk covered the blonde's smaller frame.

After a few more minutes of thrusting into Naruto's tight heat and feeling Naruto clench around him, Sasuke could take no more. With a cry of Naruto's name, Sasuke came and released his cum deep inside of Naruto. At the feeling of Sasuke emptying himself within him, Naruto reached his own orgasm as well, spraying his sticky seed all over Sasuke's stomach and chest. Sasuke collapsed on top of Naruto, the two lovers now breathing heavily. After they had caught their breath, the two continued to lay on the table together and enjoy each other's warmth.

"I love you, Naru-chan" Sasuke said softly from on top of Naruto as the blonde gently rubbed his back.

"I love you too, Sasuke-kun" Naruto replied just as softly.

**[Lemon ends here]**

Naruto and Sasuke dried themselves off with the towel and put it in a clothes hamper in the bathroom. The two lovers then made they way to the bedroom and, snuggled under the covers. Naruto snuggled into Sasuke's chest and was the first one to fall asleep. Sasuke stayed awake for a few more minutes and listened to Naruto's deep breathing. Naruto looked absolutely adorable when he slept, there was no doubting it now. Sasuke silently thanked God for sending this angel into his life right when he needed someone the most.

Nuzzling his nose into Naruto's blonde hair and inhaling his scent, Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and fell into a peaceful sleep.

It was the next morning and the members of Squad 7 were just about ready to head out. They were about to leave the gates when they heard shouting behind them. Turning around, they saw the entire Fuma Clan running to catch up with them.

"Hold warriors" The leader of the Fuma Clan said. He was a young tall man with grey hair tied back in long corn rows. Even though he didn't look all that young, one could tell he wsa wise and elderly. He had light brown skin and blue eyes. Like all the Fuma Clan members, he wore orange-rust colored battle armor and he spoke with a raspy voice, hinting at his true age.

"We of the Fuma Clan would like to thank you for your assistance. You have helped some of our own and we are very grateful. I am Damas, the leader of the Fuma Clan, and I would like to hear-by make you all honorary members of the Fuma Battle Clan." Damas said happily, his face brightly lit.

"Oh, well thank you. We gladly accept." Kakashi said. They were just completing a mission, but getting recognition was even better than getting paid. Not only that, the Fuma Clan was a widely known and powerful clan, matching that of what the Uchiha Clan was. Being allies with the Fuma Clan would be a good move for the future, and Kakashi and the others were not about to pass up this opportunity.

"We would like to especially thank you, Naruto Uzumaki. Torn and his team have informed me of your abilities and your Rinnegan. We have also been to see the crater that was formed by your Blaze Ball technique as proof of their claims. It shall remain a historic landmark as a constant reminder of your strength. We are all amazed at your power even though you're only a mere Genin Naruto. Decimating the Marauder Syndicate and mastering the Blaze Ball Jutsu are 2 feats that shall be remembered for all time. We of the Fuma Clan are truly indebted to you and you shall be remembered as Naruto Uzumaki: Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan from this point forward. Your are a natural genius above all others and may you use your gift for the better of the world. We are all very proud of you and if you need anything at all, call us." Damas said to Naruto proudly.

Jinx and Errol then walked forward and presented gifts to the members of Squad 7.

Kakashi was given scrolls containing more lightning release techniques and a sword that was capable of channeling large amounts of intense lighting chakra, meaning Kakashi could now use a more powerful _Lightning Blade._

Sakura was given a book on advanced medical ninjutsu techniques and a book on how to break genjutsu as well as how to do powerful genjutsu techniques. This was perfect for her because she could have Tsunade teach her the medical techniques and Kurenai could teach her how to break and perform the genjutsu techniques, so she was happy

Sasuke was given a sword just like Kakashi's. The difference was that it had a seal mark going along the entire top part of the blade and it could channel both fire and lighting chakra. **( The sword Sasuke was given is the sword he has in Naruto Shippuden. I got the idea for the seal mark from Sesshomaru's sword, the Bakusaiga. You might want to Google it in Google Images to see what I mean.)**

Naruto was given scrolls on how to do the Hidden Mist Jutsu, Water Clone Jutsu, Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu, and the Water Dragon Jutsu. He was also given a new set of clothes, but he would not wear them until the Chunin Exams started. Lastly, Naruto was even given 2 complete sets of the same custom made kunai his father used, but without the seal mark. He would have to add those himself. As a way to say thank you, Naruto showed Damas and the rest of the Fuma Clan his Rinnegan, letting them see the kekkei genkai of legend.

"Truly magnificent. In all of my years, I never thought I would actually see the Rinnegan with my own eyes." Damas said in awe.

"The Chunin Exams will start in a month and a half, so your welcome to come" Naruto offered, deactivating his Rinnegan.

"We shall keep that in mind" Damas said while nodding. "Take care and have a safe trip back home."

The members of Squad 7 nodded and walked out the gates, thus beginning the 3 day trip back to Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

**Phew, this chapter was actually pretty hard to write since I had no clue what to write after the lemon scene. I hope you guys like it and please review!! This was something I thought off the top of my head again, so it may not be as good. Also, the Chunin Exam saga will start in Chapter 15, so bare with me until then. Tell me what you guys think and I'll keep posting chapters. Peace out people.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Alright my loyal reviewers, we are now one chapter away from the Chunin Exams Saga. I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed and you opinions and comments are greatly appreciated. In fact, I wouldn't even be writing this story if it wasn't for you guys. Anyway, this chapter will have a lemon as well, but it won't be as long as the other two. This will be yet another chapter that will be written from whatever pops into my head because I don't know what to write. This chapter is necessary though because Sasuke reveals his past to Naruto. Other than that, I have no clue what will happen next, so I'll make it up as I go along. I hope you guys like it and here's Chapter 14. Also, don't forget to let me know if you want this to become a mpreg story in your reviews. I can make it so, but only if you guys want it to happen.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 14**

_It was night time in Konoha and little 7 year old Sasuke Uchiha had just entered the Uchiha compound where his clan lived and was currently running home._

_"Oh man, I am so late. Father is really going to let me have it this time" Sasuke said to himself as he ran home, unaware of the figure watching him from above on a telephone pole._

_Sasuke suddenly sensed that he was being watched and looked up at the telephone pole, but nobody was there._

_"That's odd. I could've sworn somebody was up there" Sasuke said to himself as he stopped running._

_Sasuke then took notice of the fact that the compound appeared to be deserted. Nobody was wondering the streets and no lights were on._

_"Where is everyone? It's still too early for everyone to have gone to bed" Sasuke said as he continued running again._

_As he rounded a corner, Sasuke gasped and his eyes widened at what he saw. Dead bodies, ninja weapons, and blood were everywhere. All was quiet and Sasuke seemed to be the only form of life in the entire compound._

_As he walked on, young Sasuke stared in disbelief at the carnage he saw. His family members were rotting in the streets and he could do nothing about it. As he walked, Sasuke found the bodies of his auntie and uncle. Both had a shuriken wound where their heart was and it was obvious that they were dead. As Sasuke grieved over the the loss of his auntie and uncle, the well being of 2 very important people flashed to his mind._

_'Father and Mother!!' Sasuke suddenly realized. Where were his parents and were they okay? Were they injured or still alive? Sasuke had to find out. Although, he wasn't too thrilled with the possibility that both of his parents might be dead as well. And what of Itachi Uchiha, his older brother. Was he still alive? Was he dead? Was he hiding somewhere with father and mother? All these questions raced through Sasuke's mind all at once._

_After what seemed like hours, Sasuke reached his house and called out to his parents, but received no answer when he walked inside. He took off his shoes and his tote bag and wandered through the house, trying desperately to find his parents and brother. As Sasuke searched, he heard a noise coming from the building where his father held his meetings. Wasting no time, Sasuke raced towards the place where the sound came from, momentarily forgetting his fear._

_As Sasuke stopped outside of the entrance to his father's meeting house, however, his fear returned with full force._

_'The killer could be in there!' Sasuke realized, paralyzed with fear. He also realized that his brother and parents could be in there too. If they were, they were in danger. Sasuke put his hand against the smooth wood of the door._

_'Come on, move! Move!' Sasuke silently encouraged himself, his legs shaking uncontrollably. With one final deep breath, Sasuke pushed open the door. What he saw on the other side was an image that would stick with him for the rest of his life. His parents lay dead on the floor, his father slumped lifelessly over his mother's dead body._

_"No!! Father and Mother!!! Sasuke screamed, running towards his parents' lifeless bodies. He didn't want it to be true, but there was no denying it now: his parents were gone for good._

_Suddenly, Sasuke heard footsteps coming towards him. Sasuke cautiously took a few steps back, ready to make a run for it a at moment's notice. Sasuke was so scared at that moment, that he was of the verge of peeing on himself._

_From out of the dark shadows across the room....Itachi Uchiha emerged. At seeing his big brother, Sasuke immediately felt safe._

_"Big brother, everybody is dead, even father and mother!! What's going on!? Who could've done something like this!!? Sasuke exclaimed as he began to walk towards Itachi._

_Suddenly, a shuriken was thrown and it whizzed right past Sasuke, cutting his shoulder before it embedded itself in the door. Sasuke clutched his injured shoulder and looked back at Itachi. He thought for a moment and, after he saw the emotionless gaze in Itachi's eyes and the blood covered sword in his hand, he put two & two together._

_"Itachi....you did this? I don't understand" Sasuke realized, letting his tears fall. Itachi was silent for a minute before he finally spoke._

_"Foolish little brother" Itachi said in a cold tone of voice, showing no remorse whatsoever. Itachi closed his eyes for a few seconds, only to reopen them and reveal his new Sharingan, which resembled a pinwheel._

_"Mangekyo Sharingan!" Itachi said while looking Sasuke straight in the eyes._

_In a split second, Sasuke was transported to another dimension and was forced to watch as his brother massacred their family. Dead bodies fell all around him, drenching him in their blood. Sasuke freaked out at what was happening and he began to scream._

_"Itachi! Stop showing me all of this!" Sasuke screamed as he clutched his head in agony._

_His pleading fell on deaf ears as Itachi continued to slaughter everyone Sasuke held dear. As he stood by helplessly, Sasuke began to weep uncontrollably._

_"Why? Why did you do this brother!? Stop it, their your family!!" Sasuke yelled. However, Itachi continued to ignore Sasuke and proceeded to murder their auntie & uncle right in front of Sasuke, the thrown shuriken going through both of their hearts. __Then the the surroundings changed to the meeting room. Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha were kneeling in front Itachi, pleading for their lives. Sasuke watched from the doorway, his legs frozen in place by an invisible force._

_"Father and Mother!! Stop it Itachi, please!!! Don't kill them, their our parents!" Sasuke yelled. However, his cries fell on deaf ears once again and Sasuke watched in pure horror as Itachi raised his sword and killed their parents in cold blood. After that, Sasuke went hysterical and started screaming as everything turned red._

_Back in reality, Sasuke continued to scream and fell to the floor while breathing heavily. After catching his breath, Sasuke looked up at Itachi, his eyes cold and still showing no remorse._

_"Why, Itachi why? Why did you do this?" Sasuke asked as he struggled to pull himself up but failed. Itachi was silent again for a few more seconds before he spoke._

_"To test the limits of my abilities" Itachi said with no emotion._

_As he tried to pull himself back together on the floor, Sasuke thought about what Itachi had just said. He had murdered their clan, their family, just so he could test how strong he was!? It didn't make any sense, nothing did anymore._

_"So you that's why you did it? You murdered our clan just so you could see how strong you were?.....You've lost your mind!" Sasuke hollered as he picked himself up and charged forward. Of course, he was nowhere near a match for Itachi and all it took was a hit to the gut to send Sasuke tumbling back down to the floor. Sasuke let the tears from the pain flow freely while looking into the face of his dead father. He then looked up at Itachi, and was overcome by so much fear that he finally went over the edge and peed on himself._

_"I'm scared...I'm scared!" Sasuke exclaimed hysterically as he picked himself up and ran out the door, crying and scared out of his mind. Sasuke ran down the blood covered streets as fast as he could towards the exit, screaming the entire time._

_"Please, somebody help me!! I don't wanna die!!" Sasuke hollered._

_As he turned a corner, he gasped and fell to his knees as he ran into none other than Itachi. How Itachi managed to catch up to him so fast, Sasuke did not know. He was too scared to think about it right now. With nothing left to do, young Sasuke did the only thing he could think of: beg for his life._

_"Please, Itachi, d-don't kill me" Sasuke pleaded. Itachi merely stared at him before speaking again._

_"Foolish little brother, you're not even worth killing" Itachi said emotionlessly, watching the tears stream down Sasuke's face._

_"Itachi, this is isn't like you! Your not making any sense!!" Sasuke cried hysterically. But Itachi paid no heed to Sasuke's pleading._

_"I have only pretended to be the older brother you've always desired for one purpose and one purpose only. I needed to measure your strength Sasuke. You have always been jealous of me and wanted to surpass me and now I am giving you an opportunity. You, Sasuke, have the potential to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan as well. You have the potential to become stronger, and for that reason, I am going to let you live. If you wish to kill me one day, then harbor your hatred and despise me, hate me. By all means, flee and cling desperately to life, surviving in an unsightly manner such as this. Grow stronger and kill your closest friend, just as I did. And only when you have the same eyes that I possess will you be ready to face me." Itachi explained, his eyes transforming into his Mangekyo Sharingan._

_That was the last thing Sasuke saw before he passed out from exhaustion._

"Itachi, no!!" Sasuke exclaimed as he bolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat. It had all been a dream, but a few years ago, it had been a reality. Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's genius older brother and the prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, had murdered their entire clan in one night. Sasuke was only 7 when it happened and he had been traumatized ever since. He used to always have this nightmare whenever he fell asleep as a child. Now, he would only have it every now and then. No matter what he did, the memory would not go away. It served as a constant reminder, reminding him of his goal and his primary reason to grow stronger.

Sasuke realized that it had only been a dream and began to calm down. He looked over at the sleeping blond beside of him and sighed in relief, glad that he had not woken up his kitsune. Sasuke laid back down and wrapped his arm Naruto, pulling the blond closer into his chest. A few minutes later, Sasuke fell back to asleep, although with difficulty. What the raven didn't know, however, was that he** had **woken Naruto up from the moment he screamed, Naruto just didn't react. Now the blond was awake, confusion written all over his face.

'_What was that about and who is Itachi?_' Naruto wondered to himself. He didn't feel like asking Sasuke right now and he decided that he'd ask tomorrow. Satisfied, Naruto snuggled deeper into Sasuke's warm, muscular chest and fell asleep.

Morning sunlight filtered in through the window in Naruto's room even though the curtains were drawn closed. A ray of sunlight landed on Sasuke's face, waking the raven up from his peaceful sleep. Sitting up and stretching, Sasuke looked over to the side and was surprised to see that Naruto wasn't there. Usually Sasuke was the first one up. Sasuke heard noises in the kitchen and recognized it as the sound of Naruto cooking breakfast.

Sighing, Sasuke got out of bed and went to Naruto's closet to get a clean outfit to wear. When Squad 7 had gotten back to Konoha, Sasuke had packed up his belongings from his apartment and moved in with Naruto. Naruto had wanted to wait a little longer to give Sasuke time, but Sasuke couldn't wait. He wanted to wake up every morning beside Naruto and he felt that he had waited long enough to think about it. So now Naruto's home was Sasuke's home too.

After pulling out his usual blue shirt with the Uchiha emblem on the back and a pair of beige shorts, Sasuke made his way to the bathroom. After taking a shower, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and slipping his clothes on, Sasuke made his way to the kitchen and was surprised at what he saw.

Naruto had just finished making breakfast for both himself and Sasuke wearing his black T-shirt and a pair of orange flip flops. Other than that, that was all Naruto had on! Except for a pair of orange flip flops, Naruto was naked from the waist down!! Sasuke stood in the doorway, getting a nice view of Naruto's ass as he set 2 plates of toast, grits, and eggs down on the table.

'_Whoa....son of a BITCH_' Sasuke thought as he watched Naruto, becoming half hard. He then noticed something that he never noticed before: Naruto slightly had...curves. He wasn't completely curvy like a woman, but he had just the right amount of curves to balance. It was an obvious female characteristic from the Kyuubi. It was also one of the many reasons Sasuke found Naruto to be so irresistible.

Sensing Sasuke's presence, Naruto turned around and smiled warmly while, aware of the fact that Sasuke was looking at him "below the belt".

"Morning teme! Look, I actually made something besides ramen" Naruto pointed out eagerly. He had always known how to cook, he just never felt like it.

"Uh...yeah...good morning" Sasuke replied a little awkwardly. "Naru-chan, what exactly are you wearing?"

"Well, we won't see each other until the Chunin Exams start, so I wanted to wear something that would make this morning unlike any other you've ever had" Naruto explained. Sasuke was silent for a moment and just stared at him before speaking.

"Oookay, well, it's certainly working" Sasuke said as his shorts became a little bit tighter than before. "Well, let's eat"

It was the middle of the week and this was the last day Squad 7 would have together before they had to separate for their training. Sasuke had wanted to spend as much time with Naruto as he possibly could before it was time to go. Sasuke and Naruto sat down and started eating. After his first bite, Sasuke had to admit that Naruto wasn't that bad of cook. In fact, his cooking was better than Sasuke's, but Sasuke would never admit it.

The two ate in a comfortable silence for a while, each enjoying the other's company, even though Naruto was half naked. Sasuke had to admit, he enjoyed this. It was a beautiful day and it was just him and his Naru-chan. For once, Sasuke didn't feel so alone like he usually did and this day actually seemed brighter than most sunny days. As an added bonus, Naruto seemed to be glowing again from the way the sun shined on him.

As the two ate their last bites and put their dishes in the sink, Naruto had to ask. The question had been nagging at him all morning and he couldn't ignore it.

"Sasuke-kun, can I ask you something?" Naruto asked timidly.

"Of course Naru-chan" Sasuke replied, sensing the nervousness in Naruto's voice. Sasuke and Naruto went back to the kitchen table and sat down, Sasuke sitting directly across from Naruto. "So, what did you want to ask me?

Naruto took a deep breath and asked the question that had been nagging him all morning.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but who is...Itachi?" Naruto asked, pausing to remember the name Sasuke had screamed when he woke up in the middle of last night.

Sasuke just stared at him for a moment. So he **had** woken Naruto up last night, but the blonde simply had not responded.

'_I should tell him. Better yet, I **need** to tell him. He trusted me enough to tell me about his past, so I should tell him about mine. Besides, I actually want to tell him_' Sasuke thought to himself. He had never told anyone the story of that night because he did not trust anyone and it was nobodies business but his. But Naruto was different, he trusted Naruto and Naruto trusted him. Plus, he didn't like keeping secrets from his love.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" Naruto said, understanding Sasuke's situation.

"No, you told me about your past, so I'll tell you about mine. Not because I feel obligated to, but because I just want to" Sasuke clarified. When Naruto nodded, Sasuke continued.

"Itachi Uchiha is my older brother that I hate with a passion" Sasuke said.

"I didn't know you had an older brother" Naruto said.

"I **wish **I didn't have one to begin with" Sasuke said to himself heatedly.

"Why?" Naruto asked

"Because....he murdered my clan, Naru-chan" Sasuke replied with a little difficulty. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke told Naruto every detail of the night when all of this began and how Itachi began to act strangely prior to the massacre.

"Sasuke, that's horrible! Why did he do all of that?" Naruto asked in disbelief, shocked at how evil some people could be. How could somebody murder their own family?

"I'm not entirely sure why he did it, but he said he did it to test how strong he was." Sasuke said.

"What kind of a reason is that?" Naruto asked

"I don't know myself, but...to think I idolized him. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up, and for him to do that....it just doesn't make sense" Sasuke forced. He didn't think it would be this painful.

Naruto instantly felt guilty for bringing this up. He got up, went over to Sasuke, and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun, I shouldn't have asked" Naruto said guiltily. It suddenly dawned on him that he had never met Sasuke's parents and Sasuke never brought them up in conversation. In fact, he'd never even met another Uchiha in the village besides Sasuke. This explained why.

"You don't have to feel guilty Naru-chan. You have nothing to be sorry about" Sasuke reassured him.

"Well, if you say so, but if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm always here" Naruto reminded him. Sasuke chuckled to himself.

"I'll keep that in mind dobe" Sasuke replied. The two lovers spent the next few minutes holding each other, until Naruto spoke.

"Hey Sasuke, since we don't have to leave for another 40 minutes, do you wanna....you know...." Naruto asked, not sure how to exactly ask what he wanted to ask. Luckily, Sasuke understood what he meant.

**[Lemon starts here]**

Sasuke pulled Naruto into his lap and kissed him with all of his love. Naruto passionately returned the kissed and the two let their tongues intertwine. Sasuke's hand reached down and rubbed Naruto's seal mark, sending shivers up the blonde's spine and causing him to instantly harden and become fully erect.

Turning so that he straddled Sasuke's waist, Naruto pulled off Sasuke's shirt and began to explore his body, squeezing the muscles here and there. He loved how they felt when they rippled under Sasuke's skin. He licked down Sasuke's chest to his left nipple. After circling it with his tongue, Naruto took the nipple into his mouth and sucked on it firmly while playing with the other one. After giving both of Sasuke's pink nipples equal attention. Naruto went back to exploring Sasuke's upper body.

While Naruto's hands roamed all over him, Sasuke reached between them and grabbed Naruto's very stiff penis and began to steadily stroke it. Naruto let out a feminine-like moan and began to buck into Sasuke's hand.

Unable to take anymore teasing, Sasuke stood up, pulled Naruto's black shirt off and bent the blonde over the table with his rear end facing him. Sasuke licked his lips and undid his pants, letting them and his boxers drop to the floor. Sasuke stepped out of them and walked up behind Naruto. The raven reached out and grabbed both of Naruto's ass cheeks and began to grope and squeeze the full globules in his hand, relishing the softness of them. Naruto moaned louder and began to purr, sounding exactly like a cat. Sasuke then reared his hand back and slapped Naruto on the ass. Watching Naruto's round ass jiggle made Sasuke even harder than he already was.

Not wasting anymore time, Sasuke spread Naruto's cheeks apart and, after positioning himself, slid his fully hard erection easily within Naruto's warm body. After giving Naruto time to adjust, Sasuke began to thrust his hips into Naruto at a fast pace, fucking him over the table. Naruto moaned with each thrust and began to thrust back into Sasuke, adding to their pleasure. The Uchiha put his hands on Naruto's perfect hips and pounded into him at a harder and faster rate than before, striking the blonde's prostate repeatedly and causing Naruto to instinctively clench around him and purr louder.

"More Sasuke, do me harder!!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke gladly obeyed Naruto's command and pounded into him with all he had. Sasuke reached down and played with Naruto's rock-hard erection, squeezing and kneading the head of his penis softly to tease it for a few moments before stroking it in time with his thrusts. Sasuke leaned further over Naruto until his bulk covered the blonde. In response, Naruto spread his legs further apart and let Sasuke thrust even deeper inside of him. Still thrusting Sasuke leaned forward a little further and kissed Naruto passionately on the lips, his tongue making its way into Naruto's mouth.

Naruto continued to let Sasuke fuck him over the table until he could no longer hold the intense pressure in his abdomen.

"Yes! Sasuke, fuck me more! I'm almost---ahhh!!" Naruto exclaimed as he reached his orgasm first, emptying his cum onto the kitchen floor. Naruto subconsciously clenched around Sasuke, causing the raven to erupt like a volcano, filling his kitsune with his warm cum. Sasuke collapsed on top of Naruto's back and slowly caught his breath, nuzzling his cheek against Naruto's affectionately.

"We need to get cleaned up, Sasuke-kun" Naruto said after catching his breath, feeling Sasuke's still half hard dick within him.

"I know, but I really don't want to" Sasuke said, but he pulled out of Naruto anyway.

**[Lemon ends here]**

The two lovers cleaned up after their "activities" and went to go shower off together. After having more sex while in the shower, the two put their cloths back on, Naruto especially, and headed out the door. They still had 15 more minutes left until they had to leave, so they spent the remainder of their time in the park, enjoying the serenity of nature together as though it would be the last time.

The time passed by quickly, however, and the two lovers reluctantly made their way to the training grounds. For once, they were the ones to arrive late, but nobody blamed them. They would not see each other again for a month and half. That was far too long for two people in a relationship.

"Naruto, it's time to go" Jiraiya said, not really wanting to split the two apart.

"Alright, but can I say goodbye to Sasuke first?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya happily nodded and Naruto quickly made his way over to his lover who had insisted on seeing the blonde off. Upon reaching Sasuke, the two hugged and kissed.

"I'll miss you Sasuke-kun" Naruto whispered, pressing his forehead against Sasuke's.

"I'll miss you too Naru-chan. I'll get stronger, I promise. I'll do it for you" Sasuke replied.

Naruto nodded and, after kissing Sasuke one last time, went back over to Jiraiya. After making the necessary summoning hand signs without signing a summoning contract, Naruto and Jiraiya were instantly transported to Mount Myobokuzan, the place where Jiraiya trained and became a toad sage.

Back in Konoha, Sasuke continued to watch the spot where his love had disappeared from. Kakashi came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We should go Sasuke. There is a lot of training ahead of us" Kakashi said.

"We'll meet up again once training is over" Tsunade said as she and Sakura left for the village gates.

"Agreed" Kakashi replied as he and Sasuke followed the two women. The place they were going to train was outside the village as well.

'_Train hard Naruto, where ever you are. Until we meet again...goodbye_' was Sasuke's last thoughts as he left the village with Kakashi.

**Okay people, I hope you enjoyed that chapter and be sure to review. It wasn't very exciting as the others, but I'm glad something turned out. Also, since most of my reviewers want this, this is will become a mpreg fic, so I hope you all are happy. However, Naruto will not become pregnant until much later on in the story since I cannot fit his pregnancy in right now. But he will become pregnant, so rest assured. I thank you all for reviewing and stay tuned for the next chapter of More Than Just Comrades.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. I wish I did, but I don't.**

**Hello my reviewers and I apologize for the wait. I had a few tests I had to study for. I'm a high school sophomore if anyone wants to know. Anyway, I thank all of you for reading the story so far and reviewing and being patient. So, where last we left off, Squad 7 has gone off to train for a month and half, and now they are finally back. How strong have they gotten?Well, you'll find out in this chapter. I'm sure you've all been anxious for Naruto and Sasuke to finally reunite, so, since I don't have anything else to say, enjoy chapter 15. Sorry again for the wait and let the Chunin Exams saga begin.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 15**

**A month and half later.**

It has been a month and half since Squad 7 went their separate ways to train with their respective masters. The separation has taken its toll on the team emotionally as each member has missed each other terribly. However, despite the emotional hardships, the separation has not gone without rewards, as each member of Squad 7 has become stronger than when they originally left Konoha.

Tsunade and Sakura trained in Tanzaku Town, one of the closest cities to Konoha. While their, Tsunade continued to work on Sakura's chakra enhanced strength. It took a number of weeks, but Sakura eventually got the hang of it and she was now able to completely smash apart boulders three times her size besides being able to knock down the tallest, thickest trees with absolute ease. The pink haired kunoichi had even become strong enough to lift massive objects with no effort.

After Sakura got the hang of her chakra enhanced strength, Tsunade began to train Sakura in medical ninjutsu. Just as Tsunade expected, Sakura got the hang of the basics in record time, managing to use her chakra to heal injured small animals. After seeing that Sakura understood the basics, they moved on to more advanced challenges, such as healing fractured and broken bones. Healing these kind of injuries required more chakra and better chakra control. It took a little more time, but Sakura got the hang of it and could heal more severe injuries. The next part of her medical ninjutsu training was learning how to form the chakra scalpel, a jutsu that forms the user's chakra into a small sharp blade that surrounds the users hands, causing their hands to glow with chakra. The chakra scalpel is mainly used for surgeries and anatomical dissections. The most unique feature about the jutsu was that it could make cuts and incisions under the skin **without **actually breaking the skin.

Before learning the jutsu, Tsunade first taught Sakura about the anatomy of the human body and about the body's vital organs. After obtaining a thorough and intimate knowledge of the human anatomy, it didn't take Sakura long to learn the chakra scalpel jutsu. And with Tsunade's instructions, Sakura was able to master the technique with ease. Besides being used for medical purposes, the chakra scalpel could also be used offensively. By aiming precisely and following Tsunade's instructions, Sakura learned how to use the chakra scalpel in heated battle. She didn't learn how to make fatal cuts, but she could still aim accurately to cut muscle tissues and tendons. Besides information on the human body, the pink haired ninja was taught how to recognize medicinal plants, how to diagnose illnesses, and how to make antidotes for different poisons.

Finally, after teaching Sakura everything she needed to know, Tsunade worked on Sakura's ability to dodge attacks. It was the medical ninja's job to heal the team. If the medical ninja got injured, there would be nobody to heal the team's wounds and they could find themselves in a bad situation. So for medical ninjas, dodging the enemy's attacks was highly important. During their final days of training, Tsunade would come at Sakura full force until the female kunoichi was able to dodge all of her attacks. It was tough and Sakura got some broken bones, but she held in there and was eventually able to dodge all of Tsunade's attacks with ease before the last week ended.

With her training complete, Sakura and Tsunade were the first ones to return to Konoha. Upon their return, Kurenai Yuhi, the Jonin sensei of Squad 8 and a genjutsu expert, taught Sakura about genjutsu and how to break out of one. The lessons were simple and Sakura learned how to break genjutsu in a few hours as well as learning a few genjutsu techniques herself.

Kakashi and Sasuke had traveled all the way to Kumogakure, The Village Hidden in the Clouds, for their training. Since the ninja of Kumogakure specialize in lightning release, it made the perfect location. Making the Valley of Clouds and Lightning their training ground, Kakashi taught Sasuke the main principles of Lightning Manipulation. Being established as a genius, Sasuke understood every word Kakashi said and was able to catch on quickly. It took him a couple of days, but Sasuke learned how to master the main principles of Lightning Manipulation and he was now able to channel Lightning into any object he was holding. He was also able to channel Lightning chakra a lot easily than before and he hardly needed to use much effort to do so. The raven could now also invoke the Chidori technique and other lightning release techniques without the use of hand seals.

After teaching Sasuke the principles of Lightning Manipulation, Kakashi began teaching Sasuke all the Lightning Release techniques he knew of. By using the Sharingan, Sasuke copied all the jutsu Kakashi showed him and was able to master them in only a few days, other abilities took a little more time. Sasuke had even learned a new fire jutsu, however it required a huge amount of chakra to use, so he had to use it sparingly.

Once Sasuke learned all the lightning and fire jutsu he needed to know, Kakashi began working on Sasuke's Sharingan itself. By continuously training Sasuke's chakra and pushing him to his limits, Sasuke not only increased his chakra reserves greatly, but he also obtained a third tomoe on his Sharingan. Now both of Sasuke's Sharingan eyes had 3 tomoe instead of two, like Kakashi's. Also, Sasuke could now use the Chidori multiple times a day as well as his other lightning release techniques.

However, throughout his training, Sasuke thought of Naruto constantly. He missed the blonde terribly and, whenever nobody was around, Sasuke would...cry. Sasuke had **never** cried since the massacre of his family, but thinking of his Naruto brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to see Naruto again and hold him in his arms. Some nights, he would long for Naruto so badly that he would cry himself to sleep. He was so used to Naruto being beside him at night, that without Naruto there, it just didn't feel right.** [On a side note, this moment sounds pretty good if you listen to Anytime by Brian McKnight. It can be found on youtube and it's the first video]**

Kakashi was well aware of how Sasuke felt because he deeply missed Iruka as well.

"I know you miss Naruto, Sasuke. Don't worry, training is almost over. You'll see him again, okay." Kakashi reassured his student.

Sasuke nodded and finished his last week of training, which involved training with their swords.

With his training complete, Sasuke and Kakashi were the second pair to arrive back in Konoha.

Jiraiya and Naruto were teleported to another dimension known as Mount Myobokuzan, the place where Jiraiya's toad summonings live and the place where he became a sage, for their training. To get there, Naruto used the same method Jiraiya did when he first came: using the summoning jutsu without signing a blood contract with the toads. To use a summoning jutsu, one must first sign a blood contract with the animal species they want to summon. However, if a ninja uses the summoning jutsu without signing a contract, they are sent to the dimension of the animal that they have a natural affinity for. In this case, Naruto had a natural affinity for toads, so Jiraiya used that to their advantage. After letting Naruto explore and get used to the place, their training began.

The first thing Jiraiya worked on was Naruto's Rinnegan. Jiraiya had been interested in it for a while now, and now he finally had a chance to truly study it.

Knowing that the time was right, Jiraiya gave Naruto a secret scroll that contained instructions on all of the powers of the Rinnegan itself that had been passed down through Naruto's family. Years ago, on the night of the Kyuubi attack on Konoha, the 4th Hokage gave the scroll to Jiraiya, knowing that Jiraiya would eventually become Naruto's teacher. The 4th requested that Naruto be given the scroll once he became old enough. Jiraiya accepted the scroll and had held on to it since then. Now, Naruto was finally of age and he was ready to be given his birthright. Naruto accepted the scroll, and after reading it and having Jiraiya explain it, Naruto got to work.

Jiraiya watched in amazement as Naruto learned and mastered the Rinnegan techniques one after the other. As Naruto trained, Jiraiya watched him intently. He discovered that the Rinnegan not only gave Naruto the ability to use all of the chakra types and have shared visions with his clones, but it also gave Naruto knowledge, abnormal power, and unimaginable chakra capacity. Jiraiya had never before in his entire life seen this kind of power before in a mere Genin. In only a few short days, Naruto had mastered the Rinnegan without any help whatsoever. He couldn't have had any help anyway, as this was something that only he could do.

After having mastered the Rinnegan, Jiraiya began teaching Naruto how to use different versions of the Rasengan using the different chakra types. As expected, Naruto got the hang of it in a few seconds, and he could now combine the Rasengan with fire and wind. Naruto even invented his own version of the wind Rasengan called the Rasenshuriken, in which the Wind Style: Rasengan had four extensions at each corner, making it resemble a shuriken. However, Naruto needed a clone to invoke the jutsu.

A week after perfecting the Rasengan, Naruto gave Jiraiya the scrolls that the Fuma Clan had given him, so they worked on those next. Upon reading the scrolls, Jiraiya noticed that within the scroll for the water clone jutsu, there were instructions for the crow clone jutsu, instructions for a forbidden jutsu called the Dead Soul Jutsu, and instructions on how to open the Eight Chakra Gates. How the Fuma Clan got these techniques, Jiraiya didn't know, but he taught Naruto the techniques anyway.

What really amazed Jiraiya was that Naruto learned the techniques in record time without using his Rinnegan, showing that he actually was a natural genius. Jiraiya realized that with his natural genius intellect and the combined power of the Rinnegan, Naruto could learn any jutsu he wanted with ease. This is what allowed him to learn the Blaze Ball technique in only a day!! As long as the jutsu wasn't another kekkei genkai, Naruto could learn it and master it in not time at all. Naruto could even use the Water Dragon Jutsu using only one hand seal when it usually required 44 hand seals, showing his brilliance and a true testament to his skill. Not only that, Naruto could now open 7 of the Eight Chakra Gates. After seeing this, Jiraiya was sure he was ready for the last two parts of their training, as they were the hardest.

With plenty of time to spare, Jiraiya began teaching Naruto how to tap directly into the Kyuubi's chakra. Normally, Naruto could only do this if he were on the verge of death. However, after this, he would be able to do it whenever he wanted. To do this, Jiraiya used a jutsu to unlock part of Naruto's seal mark. Naruto then concentrated deep within himself until he was able to bring the Kyuubi's chakra to the surface. After doing this a few times each day, Naruto got the hang of it before the week was over.

Now that Naruto had learned how to tap into the Kyuubi's chakra at will, he was now ready for the final part of their training: senjutsu. Senjutsu refers to a specialized field of jutsu that allows the user to sense and then gather the natural energy around a person. Senjutsu practitioners can then learn to draw the energy of nature inside of them blending it with their own chakra, adding a new dimension of power to the Sage's chakra, resulting in the creation of senjutsu chakra. This new chakra allows the user to enter a physical state called "Sage mode". Once activated, Sage mode increases the user's strength and speed, as well as allowing them to use powerful jutsu. Only people with extreme chakra levels can even access Senjutsu chakra, namely Naruto and Jiraiya.

Jiraiya began teaching Naruto about senjutsu chakra and how to activate Sage mode. After having Jiraiya demonstrate, Naruto was ready to try it out for himself. Naruto sat cross legged on the ground and held completely still. One must hold absolutely still in order to be one with nature. After sensing the natural energy around him, Naruto had to balance it equally. If he put too little natural energy into using senjutsu, the jutsu will not initiate. If he puts too much natural energy into using senjutsu, Naruto would turn into a toad and then eventually turn to stone, becoming another statue like those who had tried before him. In fact, these statues were spread all throughout Myobokuzan.

Luckily, Naruto was able to equally balance the natural energy equally and he was then able to successfully enter perfect Sage mode. Naruto now had red pigmentations around his eyes and his eyes themselves resembled those of a frogs. Jiraiya could not help but smile. His godson had become stronger than he had ever imagined possible. Jiraiya was proud to be this boy's godfather and he could not ask for things to be better. After practicing a few times to get the hang of it, Naruto was finally ready for the Chunin Exams. Before they left, Jiraiya pointed out that in the heat of battle, it would be impossible for Naruto to stand still and gather senjutsu. Naruto countered this by saying that he could use Shadow Clones. He would create a couple of Shadow Clones and have them hide in a location to gather senjutsu chakra. Naruto would then disperse one of these clones and, since the user absorbs all experiences shared by the clone, he would then gather the senjutsu chakra that way.

Jiraiya smiled, this time his smile was bigger than the last one. Yeah, Naruto was a true genius, no doubt about it. He was ready. Before leaving, Jiraiya taught Naruto how to use the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, the same jutsu that his father, the 4th Hokage, used to teleport. After showing Naruto the seal and how to use it, Naruto got the hang of it very quickly since the jutsu was quite simple to learn. After applying the seal to his all of his custom made kunai and trying the jutsu out a couple of times, Naruto dressed in the new clothes he got from the Fuma Clan and was ready to go. Naruto spent the last week going over everything that he had learned to make sure he had it down.

With his training complete, Naruto and Jiraiya were the last pair to arrive in Konoha.

Naruto and Jiraiya had finally reentered the gates of Konoha after a month and half of training.

"We're finally back Pervy Sage. I can't believe how much I've missed this place!" Naruto exclaimed as he and Jiraiya entered the gates and took a look around. "This place hasn't changed at all!"

"I know your excited and glad to be back Naruto, but calm down. We need to head to the training field anyway, so let's get a move on" Jiraiya informed his godson. Naruto pouted.

"Oh come on Pervy Sage! We just trained for a month and half! Don't tell me there's more" Naruto whined, not at all happy with the thought of doing more training than he already had done.

"Well alright, we won't go. Even though we're supposed to meet everyone there, but if you don't want to see Sasuke then that's fine" Jiraiya said with a sarcastic tone, knowing that that would get Naruto's attention, and it did.

"WHAT!!! Then what we are standing around here for!!!!?" Naruto said as he grabbed Jiraiya by the arm and took off with his lightning fast speed, moving so fast that he was nothing but a yellow blur. Naruto had thought of Sasuke everyday since he had left for training. There were even times when Naruto would suddenly burst into tears during the middle of a training because he would think about Sasuke. Naruto could barely even sleep because Sasuke wasn't there to hold him and be beside of him. All Naruto could do was endure and wait for the day when him and Sasuke would be reunited. Now, that day had finally come.

Sasuke and Kakashi arrived at the training grounds 20 minutes ago and Sasuke was standing around bored.

'_When are these exams going to start already?_' Sasuke thought impatiently. He was starting to get agitated and Naruto still had not shown up yet. Kakashi was reading his Icha Icha Paradise book and Tsunade was working with Sakura on her medical ninjutsu.

'_Where are you Naruto and when are you going to get here?_' Sasuke thought to himself, anxious to see his dobe again. As if on cue, Sasuke saw a yellow blur enter the training grounds. Sasuke was confused as the yellow blur stopped just outside the training grounds entrance.

"Naruto?" Sasuke said to himself questioningly.

Naruto and Jiraiya finally made it to the training grounds in record time. While Naruto looked as energetic as ever, Jiraiya looked as though he was ready to faint.

"Naruto, you really should give me a warning next time. I can't move that fast, you know. In fact, you practically dragged me all the way here" Jiraiya said as he fixed himself. However, Naruto hadn't heard a word he'd said, as he'd spotted the one person he'd been longing to see again.

"Sasuke?....SASUKE!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran forward towards the raven standing against the tree.

Sasuke Uchiha had been standing against the tree, watching the yellow blur as it stopped. When he saw the white haired man beside a blonde teenage boy, he knew exactly who it was in an instant.

"Naruto!?...Naruto!!!" Sasuke exclaimed, running forward just as the blonde haired figure ran forward also, calling the raven's name and catching the attention of Kakashi, Tsunade and Sakura.

Sasuke continued to run forward at top speed calling Naruto's name. A few moments later, Naruto jumped into Sasuke's outstretched arms and pulled the raven into a tight hug.

"Teme, it really is you! I've missed you so much!" Naruto said as hugged Sasuke tighter. Sasuke's chest felt just as warm as ever before.

"I've missed you too dobe. I'm here now and I'll never leave you." Sasuke said as he nuzzled his nose in Naruto's hair. Finally, after a month in a half, he was finally holding his kitsune in his arms again and he never wanted to let go. After staying in each other's embrace for a few minutes longer, the two pulled away and took in the other's appearance.

Naruto was wearing a standard Leaf ninja uniform and a flak jacket over it. Over this, he wore a short sleeved long white coat with red flame edges. Lastly, Naruto wore a face mask, exactly like Kakashi's, that covered the entire lower part of his face. The blonde had also gotten noticeably taller. Plus, he was still wearing his sky blue nail polish

Sasuke wore a white longed sleeved shirt which was open at the torso, with the Uchiha crest on the back. He wore black pants with a blue cloth hanging from halfway up his stomach to his knees. He also wore a purple rope around his waist, tied in a bow. The raven had also gotten noticeably taller and he was a little more muscular than before. Also, his hair gotten a little bit longer and, if he wanted to, he could let his bangs hang over his eyes. He wore his sword on the right side of his outfit, the sheath hooked firmly by the rope around his waist. Also, he still wore his black nail polish.

Sasuke reached out and slowly pulled down Naruto's face mask. The two leaned in and shared a long over due, passionate kiss. The two continued to hold each other and kiss deeply until they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Pulling away, Naruto and Sasuke turned to look at a blushing Tsunade and Sakura. Sakura was wearing her same basic red top with black gloves, black high-heeled boots, black shorts, short pink apron-like skirt, and pink elbow protectors. Her pink hair still hung down to her back and she was wearing pink nail polish on her fingernails and toenails.

The two lovers blushed also when they realized that they had just made out in front of the others. Naruto hurriedly pulled up his face mask to hide his tomato-red cheeks.

"Cut them some slack you two. They haven't seen each other in a while." Jiraiya said as he walked over.

"Well they can indulge in each other later. Now is definitely not the time" Tsunade said, still blushing and a bit turned on at what she saw. Kakashi, on the other hand just stared. He was not only caught up in the make out session he had just seen, but he was also caught up in what Naruto was wearing.

'_My God, Naruto looks exactly like his father. Even I would mistake him for being Minato_' Kakashi thought to himself as he walked forward. It was amazing the way genetics worked.

"She's right I'm afraid. We need to make sure you guys are 100% razor sharp for the exams. So, I have a little exercise for all three of you" Kakashi said as he marked is place, closed his book, and walked over. Kakashi then reached into is other pocket and pulled out 3 bells instead of 2 like the last time he did this exercise. Squad 7 knew what they had to do before Kakashi even spoke.

"The object of this exercise is simple: take these bells from my belt. If you aren't going to attempt to kill me, then don't bother trying" Kakashi said as hooked the bells onto his belt.

"I think we should stick around for this one" Jiraiya said to Tsunade.

"For once, I agree with you. And I have a feeling this will be very interesting this time." Tsunade replied as Squad 7 got ready to prove themselves.

**Okay everyone, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please don't forget to review and tell me what you think. I deeply apologize fore the wait and I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. I am still working on the next chapter and it will be up shortly. Until then stay tuned and stay gold.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Alright everyone, I thank you all for waiting patiently and I thank you for reviewing. As most of you may have noticed, I'm not very good at writing battle scenes and I'm not good at using captivating words. But anyway, I thank all of you for sticking with me this far. I know most of you have read much better stories than this and you can tell that I'm a novice, but I'll get better, hopefully. Also, if any of you don't like Naruto wearing a face mask like the one Kakashi wears, let me know and I'll take it out for the rest of the story. I added that feature because I figured he would look kinda cool, but tell me what you guys think about it. Well that's pretty much all I have to say, so enjoy chapter 16 and let me know what you guys think and feel free to give me any suggestions.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 16**

Naruto stood along side Sakura and Sasuke as they faced Kakashi. Each of them had to take a bell from Kakashi's belt in order to pass their "evaluation test" to see if they were ready for the Chunin Exams. Normally, the members of Squad 7 would've groaned and complained about having to do this since they barely passed the first time and Kakashi didn't even have to take them seriously, but this time they showed enthusiasm. They were all eager to show off how strong they had gotten and they were ready to prove that they were ready for anything the Chunin Exams had to offer. Naruto was especially eager, he could barely stop himself from rushing forward.

'_Here it is, my chance to shine_' Naruto thought confidently to himself, grinning uncontrollably under his mask with his Rinnegan eyes activated. This was going to be fun.

"Something tells me I won't be able to read my book this time" Kakashi said as he uncovered his Sharingan eye. This was so easy for Kakashi the last time that he didn't even have to take their attacks seriously. Instead, he leisurely read his pornographic novel while easily brushing off their attacks. This time, however, he wouldn't have it that easy.

Unable to contain his enthusiasm any longer, Naruto ran forward towards Kakashi and jumped into the air. While still in midair, Naruto reached into his weapons pouch and threw a handful of shuriken directly at the masked Jonin.

"Using straightforward attacks? Naruto, you should know better" Kakashi said as he effortlessly dodged the shuriken. Noticing that Naruto was still in midair, Kakashi threw his own handful of shuriken, curious as to how Naruto was going to get himself out of this one. Instead, Naruto was hit dead on by the shuriken and burst into a flock of crows, catching everyone off guard.

"It seems Naruto learned the crow clone jutsu, interesting" Kakashi said. At that moment, the real Naruto burst from the ground with his custom made kunai drawn and ready. Like during their one-on-one matches, Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm, turned the blonde around, and pointed the kunai at the back of his neck. However, Naruto was one step ahead. The crows from the Crow Clone Jutsu reformed back into a Naruto clone behind Kakashi and stabbed the Jonin in the back with a kunai, causing the Jonin's eyes to widen.

"Remember what you taught me Kakashi sensei? Always think one step ahead of you opponent" Naruto said triumphantly, feeling very proud of himself. Taking a bell would be easy this time, or so he thought.

"I must say Naruto I'm very pleased with your progress. Your skill with using clones has definitely gotten better. However, you're still as impatient as always. I still didn't say go just yet. Now then,....ready....start" Kakashi said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, meaning that it had been a shadow clone.

"It was a shadow clone!? Dammit!" Naruto said in frustration. If shadow clones didn't have their own chakra supply, he would've been able to tell that it wasn't the real Kakashi immediately. Naruto made a hand seal and the Crow Clone dispersed.

After the Kakashi shadow clone had dispersed, Squad 7 began to look around for the real Kakashi, who was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, Sakura was prepared for this sort of situation.

"He's not to the left side, he's not to the right side, and he's not up in the air." Sakura said as she surveyed her surroundings.

"So then he must be below!" Sakura said as he slammed her fist into the ground and releasing the chakra she had stored upon contact. Tremors were sent throughout the ground, giving off the feeling of an earthquake. Suddenly, the ground in front of Sakura cracked apart and collapsed, revealing a stunned Kakashi Hatake underneath.

'_Wh-What incredible strength! Apparently Tsunade taught her more than just medical ninjutsu.'_ Kakashi said to himself from within the huge, newly formed crater. '_She concentrated her maximum chakra into her fist and released it all at once. It seems her chakra control is as impressive as before._' Kakashi was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Sakura's voice.

"Found you, Kakashi sensei." Sakura said with her hands on her hips and a satisfied smile on her face.

Naruto and Sasuke watched from behind her, too shocked to move. Naruto had an exasperated look on his face while Sasuke stood emotionless like always.

"Sasu-chan, remind me to never piss off Sakura ever again. She might kill me" Naruto nervously whispered to Sasuke.

"Hn" Sasuke said, giving his trademark reply as Kakashi jumped onto a boulder sticking up through the destroyed ground. Sasuke pulled out his sword, and with one swift swing, sent a powerful wave of lightning chakra towards Kakashi. Sakura jumped out of the way as the attack hit Kakashi dead on, destroying more of the already cracked apart ground. At first, everyone actually thought that that was it, but Kakashi popped up out of the ground a few seconds later.

"Good to see you have the hang of Lightning release Sasuke. However, I believe it's my turn now" Kakashi said nonchalantly, as though he had hadn't almost been vaporized.

Deciding to try and catch Kakashi off guard, Squad 7 retreated into the woods and took up strategic hiding spots. After giving them a few second head start, Kakashi ran into the forest after them. Sensing their their chakra presences nearby, Kakashi quickly hid in some bushes. After a few minutes, he was able to locate Naruto hiding behind a tree trunk, Sasuke hiding behind a tree ontop of a tree branch, and Sakura hiding behind another tree trunk.

"Good, they've hidden themselves well" Kakashi said in appreciation of his students. Suddenly, Sasuke threw a hand full of kunai, which Kakashi managed to dodge effortlessly. Using the kunai as a distraction, Sasuke charged the Chidori into his hand and charged forward. Kakashi moved out the way as Sasuke reached him and the raven ended up destroying the tree behind Kakashi instead.

Seeing this as her chance, Sakura charged forward and began swinging a flurry of punches, each one charged with chakra.

'_All I need is one hit_' Sakura thought to herself as she continued to throw punches. Kakashi moved as Sakura swung one last punch, completely destroying another tree behind him.

Naruto created 3 shadow clones and they each charged forward. One of the clones leaped onto a tree diagonal from Kakashi's position, charged chakra into its fist, and leaped at the Jonin. However, Kakashi moved as the clone reached him, causing the clone to miss and shatter the ground around him.

'_Didn't know his shadow clones could do that. I'm really going to have to keep my guard up with these clones_' Kakashi thought as the clones came at him again.

However, something was different this time. Normally, the clones would recklessly attack at one time, but this time they attacked in perfect unity. Kakashi could barely keep up with their taijutsu speed and strength. They attacked from all sides consecutively and Kakashi had to use his wits to stay barely even stay ahead. He'd never had this much trouble with shadow clones before and they were actually pushing Kakashi to his limits.

Kakashi pulled out his sword, charged it with lightning chakra, and swung as he charged forward. The real Naruto easily caught it in one hand, but strangely didn't get electrocuted as Kakashi had expected. Instead, Naruto began to absorb not only all of the lightning chakra from the sword, but also some of Kakashi's own chakra! Surprised Kakashi pulled his sword away and made a hand seal behind his back, creating a shadow clone that emerged behind Naruto and his clones from a safe distance. The Kakashi clone charged a Chidori attack in its hand, but didn't charge forward. Instead, it raised its Chidori hand towards its attackers who seemed unaware and waiting for the real Kakashi to make the first move.

"Chidori Senbon" the Kakashi clone whispered.

One of the Naruto clones made a hand sign and giant panda with Rinnegan eyes appeared behind them with skin that appeared to be made of stone. The Chidori senbon needles embedded themselves in the panda's rock-like skin and the panda disappeared a few seconds later. Kakashi took a step back, surprise written all over his face.

Meanwhile, the Kakashi clone was puzzled beyond belief. He was sure he'd had the element of surprise.

'_That's impossible! The Rinnegan gives Naruto and the clones shared vision, sure, but all of them are facing away from me, so they couldn't have seen me. Not only that, the Chidori Senbon has a wide attack radius, you can't block it, so you have to dodge it. Yet they summoned some kind of panda to absorb the attack, as though they already knew I was here. It must be one of the Rinnegan's summon abilities. But they couldn't have seen me and known I was here unless....._' Kakashi's thought voice trailed off as he looked behind him and spotted the clone sitting in the tree, watching him. It'd been hiding its chakra signature the entire time and now it had finally made its chakra presence known.

'_Huh? Naruto only made 3 clones. So how and when did this one get here? It must've been watching the real me the entire time. Naruto actually thought this far ahead._' Kakashi thought in sudden realization.

In the blink of an eye, the 4th Naruto clone seemed to teleport behind the Kakashi clone and, without a word, snapped its neck, causing the clone to disperse. With it's work finished, the 4th Naruto clone dispersed also. Back at the present location, Kakashi began to finally realize that outsmarting Naruto was not going to be as easy as it was in the past. To be honest, it made Kakashi proud beyond words. Naruto had finally learned how to use his brain.

"Didn't see that one coming did ya, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto said smugly, proud of himself for outsmarting Copy Ninja Kakashi. Sasuke and Sakura tried to take advantage of Kakashi's shocked state and moved in to take a bell. However, Kakashi caught on and moved away.

Squad 7 continued their attack and tried their hardest to get a bell. Of course, they had figured that it wouldn't be that easy even with all of their training. Sasuke continued to throw shurikens in an effort to distract Kakashi while Naruto and Sakura moved in. However, Kakashi continued to stay one step ahead and he even managed to disperse Naruto's clones, although with difficulty.

After trying, and failing to get a bell, Squad 7 was hiding behind a log for cover. All 3 three of them were trying to catch their breath as they thought of a plan. So far, nothing they came up with worked.

"Dammit, we're not getting anywhere and time is running out" Sakura said in frustration. Sasuke was fresh out of ideas as well.

"I know something we can try" Naruto spoke up after being deep in thought.

Sakura and Sasuke turned to look at him.

"You...have an idea, Naruto?" Sakura asked questioningly. Naruto nodded.

The pink haired ninja found this odd because Naruto never had an idea. Usually, he would act clueless or pretend like he knew what was going on and then he'd follow everyone else. However, after seeing Naruto easily hold his own against Kakashi, she was convinced that he had been hiding his true self for all these years. If so, it would take her some time to get used to Naruto's _real _behavior.

"Alright then, let's hear it. I want to get this over with already" Sasuke said, having grown impatient that they hadn't made any progress.

"Lets see...Sasuke, can you channel lighting through the ground or whatever surface your standing on?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke gave a him confused look, which for the record, Naruto found adorable. Normally, he would've reacted. However, this was no time for flirting.

"Yeah..why?" Sasuke asked, trying to figure out where the hyperactive ninja was going with this.

"Perfect! Okay, here's the plan....." Naruto said happily. His plan might work after all.

It only took Naruto 5 minutes to explain his plan step by step to his teammates. Honestly, it wasn't complicated at all and they could easily pull it off. The trick was timing. They would have to move fast in order for it to work.

"So do you guys understand what to do?" Naruto asked

"It seems too simple, but just simple enough to work. So I guess I'm in" Sasuke said, ready to get this over with. He was dying to see the competition for the Chunin Exams.

"Me too. Lets get started" Sakura said eagerly.

"Alright, I've already found Kakashi's chakra signature. I'll do the first part, then you and Sasuke can do the rest." Naruto said.

With a nod from his teammates, Naruto got up and leaped onto a tree branch. After locating the direction of Kakashi's chakra signature, Naruto channeled chakra into his legs and bounded off with his incredible speed, becoming nothing but a yellow blur.

Kakashi was currently hiding behind a tree not too far away from where his students were hiding. So far he'd managed too stay ahead, but he didn't know how long that would last. His squad had indeed gotten stronger and, as he had expected, he'd had a harder time defending himself. However, if they didn't take at least one bell in the next 10 minutes, he would cancel the exercise and they would have to wait for another year. If they couldn't even take a bell from him, they were not ready for the Chunin Exams, as this simple bell exercise was nothing compared to what they had to face in the exams themselves.

"Now then, where are they hiding?" Kakashi said to himself. He concentrated and widened his senses until he picked up their chakra signatures not too far away and moving toward him. However, he'd only felt two signatures and he easily recognized them.

"Well, there's Sakura and Sasuke, but where's Naruto?" Kakashi asked out loud.

As if on cue, Naruto emerged from around the tree after leaping off another branch with blinding speed. While still in midair, Naruto reared his leg back in preparation for a roundhouse kick to Kakashi's spine. Just as Naruto predicted, Kakashi sensed the attack and moved out of the way in just in time as Naruto's chakra enhanced kick broke the tree clean in half. Kakashi made a hand seal and sunk underground.

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu" Kakashi said from underground.

In a split second, Kakashi pulled Naruto under so that only the blonde's head remained above ground. Kakashi squatted down to Naruto's level.

"I have to admit, you almost had me there Naruto" Kakashi said.

"Actually, I'm not done yet" Naruto said as he dispersed into a flock of crows, meaning it had only been a crow clone.

Before Kakashi could voice his surprise, the real Naruto stealthily emerged from the ground behind Kakashi. Sensing Naruto's killing intent, Kakashi stood up and spun to face the blonde, surprise again evident on his face from the fact that Naruto had outsmarted him for the second time_._

Before Kakashi could react, Naruto raised his right hand toward his masked sensei, and using the Rinnegan's ability to manipulate gravity, Naruto blew Kakashi back with incredible force, sending some of the trees, bushes, and large chunks of the ground with him. Kakashi was blown all the way back to the lake in the middle of the training grounds, but he was able to think quickly and channeled chakra to his legs, allowing him to stand on the water's surface as the trees, bushes, and parts of the ground that were blown away with him fell into the lake with large splashes.

After regaining his balance and composure, Kakashi turned around to face the forest only to come face to face with Naruto's Rinnegan eyes. Kakashi did a number of back flips away from Naruto to create some distance, breathing heavily.

'_Impossible. Not only has Naruto mastered the Rinnegan, but now he's capable at moving at the speed of light. Not even the 4th Hokage could move that fast, and something tells me this isn't even half of his strength_' Kakashi said to himself, amazed at how much stronger the blonde had become.

"Hey Kakashi sensei! In case your wondering how I moved that fast, check your left arm!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi did as the blonde said and his eyes seemed about big enough to pop out of his head. On his left arm near his wrist was the seal for the Flying Thunder God technique, the same jutsu that the 4th Hokage used to teleport.

'_Well, this explains how he got here so fast, but when did he mark me? It must've been when I pulled him underground, very clever indeed. Jiraiya taught you well, Naruto_' Kakashi said to himself.

"One more thing! Look what I got!" Naruto yelled, holding up a bell.

Surprised yet again, Kakashi checked his belt, and sure enough, one of the bells were missing.

"Well I'll be damned, he actually did it without me even noticing." Kakashi said to himself out loud. '_Yeah, Jiraiya taught him very well._'

'_Okay. Now I just have to buy sometime for Sasuke and Sakura to get here_' Naruto thought to himself.

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique again, Naruto teleported behind Kakashi without a sound and roundhouse kicked him across the lake. Kakashi skidded on the water's surface until he caught himself.

'_I see, he's trying to be buy time for the other two. Alright, I'll play his game_' Kakashi mused to himself.

Kakashi them made a long series of hand seals with blinding speed, his hands moving so fast that they were nothing but blurs. However, despite the speed of Kakashi's hands, Naruto recognized the hand seals immediately.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu" Kakashi said. Suddenly the water began to churn and around him and rise up. As it rose, it began to take a shape, and before long, a huge dragon made completely out of water was created.

"So he's using the Water Dragon Jutsu huh? Alright, I can handle this" Naruto said as the the huge water dragon let out a mighty roar and charged at him. Instead of running or moving out of the way like anyone else would've done, Naruto raised both of his hands towards the dragon and waited. As the dragon came closer, Naruto used the Rinnegan's ability to manipulate gravity and stopped the dragon with an invisible force. It was as though someone had pointed a remote control at the water dragon and pressed the pause button. Smirking under his face mask, Naruto clamped his hands together and the water dragon was crushed by the same powerful, invisible force that had stopped it. Large blobs of water flew everywhere and some made large splashes as they fell back into the lake. Other blobs of water that landed on shore hit so hard that they destroyed some of the soil as they splashed down.

Even though it wasn't visible, Kakashi's jaw dropped. As far as he knew, nobody had ever managed to stop the Water Dragon Jutsu, especially not a Genin of all ninja. In fact, as far as anybody knew, the Water Dragon technique couldn't be stopped until it hit its target, but Naruto had just proven otherwise. Naruto had destroyed it before it even got within attacking range in a way that nobody would ever believe unless they saw it themselves.

"That was pretty impressive Kakashi sensei! I didn't even know you still knew that jutsu! But either way, it's my turn now! Naruto yelled.

He then proceeded to make the Shadow Clone hand seal and created 10 shadow clones. At first, Kakashi figured that Naruto would come at him with simple taijutsu, but instead, one of the clones used the Flying Thunder God technique and teleported beside Kakashi. Before Kakashi could move, the Shadow Clone latched on to him and wouldn't let go.

"KATS!!" Naruto yelled as made the shadow clone hand seal again. Suddenly, the shadow clone exploded in a powerful and fairly large explosion, supposedly taking Kakashi with it. However, said Jonin stealthily rose up from the water unharmed as he had switched places with a shadow clone at the last minute to escape the explosion. **(I got the idea of Naruto using his clones as explosives from the way Deidara uses his exploding clay. So just imagine Naruto making that same noise Deidara makes when he makes his clay explode.)**

'_So that's his plan_' Kakashi said to himself after realizing Naruto's strategy.

In the blink of an eye, another shadow clone teleported beside of him. This time, Kakashi was able to move to a safe distance just as the shadow clone exploded like the last one. Before long, the other 8 shadow clones rushed forward with amazing speed. Kakashi was forced to move all around the large lake as the shadow clones came after him step for step. He had a few close calls along the way, but he managed to use his wits to escape the explosions. By now, only 4 clones were left.

By using the Flying Thunder God technique, the clones teleported and surrounded Kakashi on all sides. Thinking quickly, Kakashi made a number of hand seals and a shield made of water surrounded him just as the 4 clones exploded at the same time. Luckily, the water shield held and Kakashi was unharmed.

"I didn't think he'd get out of that one, but it's what I would expect from Kakashi sensei. Luckily, Sasuke and Sakura are almost here, so I just need to hold him off for a little longer" Naruto said out loud to himself.

"Anymore surprises Naruto?" Kakashi asked casually with his arms folded over his chest.

"Actually yes. See if you can dodge this one Kakashi sensei!" Naruto yelled as he made the Shadow Clone hand seal again.

"Crow Clone Jutsu" Naruto said as 10 more Naruto clones appeared.

The clones then dispersed into flocks of crows that began to fly around in the air ominously while cawing. There were at least 3 dozen and Kakashi watched them all intently.

"I don't like the looks of this, and something tells me things are about to become deadly" Kakashi said as he watched the crows continue to fly ominously overhead.

Naruto then made the "Ram" hand seal and the crows began to morph until they were no longer crows, but life-size black shurikens!! The crows-turned-shurikens continued to hover in midair, waiting for the signal to attack. They didn't have to wait long as Naruto pointed his finger at Kakashi and a few of the shurikens flew forth.

"Figures" Kakashi said as he effortlessly dodged the life-size shurikens. However, the crow shurikens circled back around and began to pursue Kakashi. Obviously, just dodging them was out of the question. Soon, all the other crow shurikens joined in on the chase and came at Kakashi from every direction possible, some even went underwater and then shot back up near Kakashi in their attempt to cut Kakashi to pieces from below. Because of this, Kakashi had to be aware of all directions as he ran. He pulled out his sword and deflected them as they came at him. This wasn't easy of course, because he had to keep running and he couldn't just stand in one place.

"Run all you want Kakashi sensei! They'll keep following you until they catch you! Hopefully this'll buy Sasuke and Sakura enough time to get here." Naruto said, adding that last part quietly to himself.

Naruto didn't have to wait long, because 3 minutes later, Sasuke and Sakura finally emerged from the forest. After focusing chakra to their feet, they walked on the lake's surface and joined Naruto.

"Sorry we're a little late Naruto-kun. We had a long way to go, but thanks for holding him off until we could get here" Sakura said, a little out of breath.

"We'll take it from here dobe" Sasuke said as he began to channel lightning chakra throughout his body.

"It was no problem at all" Naruto said as he threw a custom made kunai into a nearby tree. Using the Flying Thunder God technique seal on the kunai, Naruto grabbed Sakura and teleported to the tree and out of harms way.

Kakashi had been running and deflecting the crow shurikens and he was starting to get fed up. He had to find some way to destroy them and fast, as he could not keep this up for very long. After running and deflecting a few more times, Kakashi finally had an idea. Charging a large amount of lighting into his sword, Kakashi swung and destroyed a crow shuriken coming towards him. Seeing that lighting was their weakness, Kakashi went on the offensive and cut down the shurikens as they came at him, he even managed to destroy the ones that came up from the water.

After destroying all of the crow shurikens, Kakashi put his sword away and began to recover. However, he then noticed Sasuke standing on the water with lightning chakra surging around him and Naruto and Sakura were back on the shore.

"So you and Sakura finally caught up eh? Just in time too." Kakashi said to the raven haired Genin.

"Hn" was Sasuke's only reply.

The raven then raised his foot slightly and Kakashi knew instantly what was about to happen. Before he could do anything, however, Sasuke stamped his foot onto the water's surface, channeling electricity through the water. Kakashi was hit by the electric current, stunning him and knocking him unconscious. The last thing Kakshi saw before he went under water was Sasuke's triumphant smirk.

Jiraiya and Tsunade had watched everything that had unfolded during the bell exercise and they were quite pleased with the results. They had trained their students well, and together, their two students had managed to take down one of Konoha's strongest Jonin. They were especially pleased with how strong Naruto had become.

"Think their ready Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked from his spot in one of the tallest trees in the training grounds.

"Yeah, their more then ready" Tsunade replied, smiling in satisfaction.

**Well everyone, there's chapter 16. I know it's pretty long, but I wanted to go ahead finish the bell exercise. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review and tell me what you think. Also, there won't be a lemon until after the Chunin Exams, which is right around the time Naruto get's pregnant, so you'll have to wait for that. The rest of Squad 7's abilities will be revealed during the Chunin Exams also. I thank you all for sticking with me this far and I hope to hope to hear from you guys soon. Take care and I apologize for the wait. School has been hectic lately.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Okay everyone, I would like to thank all of those who reviewed and I'm glad you've read and enjoyed th story so far. Even now, I still cannot believe that I have 41 reviews! Can you believe it!? 41!? I didn't think I would get this many. Honestly, I didn't think I'd get any at all. Anyway, this chapter is where Squad 7 meets the sand siblings and the other teams in the Chunin Exams just like in the actual episode. However, if owned Naruto, this is how I would've written it. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and tell me what you think.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 17**

Kakashi Hatake woke up with a groan and he felt a tingling sensation throughout his entire body. At first, everything was blurry and he couldn't make out where he was. The only thing he was aware of was a voice calling his name that sounded as though it were far away.

"Kakashi sensei!" the voice yelled.

Kakashi still could not focus on the voice calling his name and he was still having trouble making out where he was. His mind was foggy and felt disoriented at the same time. As if that wasn't bad enough, he was starting to feel nauseas.

"Kakashi sensei wake up!" the voice said again after a few minutes.

After hearing the voice get louder, Kakashi's mind started to work again. He could now focus on the voice and noted that it sounded familiar, but he still couldn't place his finger on it. His head wasn't as cloudy and the dizzy, nauseas feeling had gone away.

"Kakashi sensei, wake up already!" the loud, familiar voice said.

Suddenly, he heard a slapping sound and felt a stinging pain on his cheek. Now that his mind was clear, Kakashi realized that whoever the familiar voice belonged to had slapped him. Even though it had hurt a little, it helped bring Kakashi back to reality. After his vision had focused, Kakashi saw a boy with deep blue eyes and golden blonde hair string down at him, and he instantly recognized it as Naruto and the owner of the voice.

Kakashi slowly sat up and looked around. He was still at the training grounds and he was surrounded by Naruto Sasuke, Sakura, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. Also, he noticed that his were damp, but since his clothes locked out moisture, they were not that damp. The feeling of his damp clothes sticking to him brought back memories of the bell exercise and he instantly remembered what had happened.

"Are you okay, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Yes, I'm fine Naruto, thank you for asking. By the way, how long have I been out exactly?" Kakashi said as he slowly stood up and stretched his sore muscles.

"Not long, only 10 minutes." Sakura said, happy that her sensei was okay after being electrocuted and stunned.

"By the way Kakashi, do we pass?" Sasuke asked as he held up his bell, his other 2 teammates doing the same.

Kakashi looked down at his belt and realized that the three bells on his belt were gone.

"Yes, you pass" Kakashi said happily, smiling with his eyes.

His students, namely Naruto and Sakura, let out cheers of joy and slapped each other high fives. Sasuke, being his usual emotionless self, took it all in stride and didn't let his enjoyment show on the outside. Although he did slap Naruto a high five if that counts as anything.

"Someone care to explain your strategy?" Kakashi asked, curious as to how his students succeeded.

"It was actually Naruto's idea. He explained it to us when we were hiding behind a log for cover. He suggested that he go on ahead of us and beat you back towards the lake. That was Phase 1. It worked, but he he had to buy time for us to get there. Once Sakura and I arrived, Naruto got himself and Sakura to safety while I channeled electricity throughout my body and released it onto the water with my foot, just as Naruto instructed beforehand. That was Phase 2 and it worked also, as you were stunned by the electricity and fell unconscious. Phase 3 involved fishing you out of the water, which wasn't easy, and dragging you back onto shore where we took the bells from your belt and let you rest. So the credit goes to Naruto on this one." Sasuke explained, motioning to the smiling, and also blushing, blonde ninja.

Kakashi was surprised beyond words.

'_So Naruto orchestrated the whole thing. Impressive, he was able to think ahead and work with his teammates to act accordingly,. What's even more impressive is that he actually got Sasuke to cooperate. Well, this officially settles it. Their ready_' Kakashi thought to himself as he fixed his head band back over his Sharingan eye.

"I see. Well congratulations Naruto, your a natural born leader and you didn't even know it." Kakashi said after one last stretch and causing Naruto to blush even redder at his compliment. Luckily, his mask covered most of it.

Kakashi then checked his watch that was hidden under his sleeves.

"Well what do ya know, it's time for me to register you guys into the exams. You guys finished just in time, how about that? Anyway, I'll be back in one moment" Kakashi said as he waved goodbye and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi appeared in front of the Hokage Tower and walked inside, saying hello to his fellow ninja along the way. He continued to walk up the stairs and down a hallway until he came to a door on the left marked "Meeting". He walked in and was met with a room full of other Jonin and Chunin that were registering their teams into the Chunin Exams. It took a little time to cut through the crowd, but he finally made it to the front with Asuma Sarutobi, the Jonin leader of Squad 10, and Kurenai Yuhi, the Jonin instructor of Squad 8, standing on either side of him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage and father of Asuma, sat at his desk at the front of the room, handing out registration forms to team leaders. After he handed out registration forms to the next team leaders in line, the elderly village leader took notice of the 3 Jonin next in line.

"Will the leaders of the rookie Genin please step forward: Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai" The Hokage commanded

Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai all stepped forth in front of the elderly village leader as they were told to do so.

"Alright you three, what do you say? Are their any members in your squads that are ready for the exams despite their inexperience. As you are aware, any Genin who has carried out 8 or more missions is eligible for the exams, but you may choose to hold them back if you feel that they are not yet ready." Hiruzen explained.

Among the group of remaining Chunin and Jonin stood Iruka Umino, one of the teacher's at the Ninja Academy and also Kakashi's lover. Iruka nodded his head as the Hokage spoke, already familiar with all the requirements and regulations.

'_There's no need for him to explain all of this. It's way too soon for their squads anyway._' Iruka thought to himself.

"With all that being said, Kakashi, why don't you go first?" Hiruzen asked after he had gotten finished explaining.

"I lead Squad 7, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno. I, Kakashi Hatake, recommend all three of these Genin for the Chunin Selection Exams." Kakashi said calmly.

Iruka gaped at his statement and his eyes just about popped out of his head. How could Kakashi recommend rookie Genin for the Chunin Exams!? They didn't nearly have enough experience! Didn't he understand how dangerous the exams were?

"And I lead Squad 8, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. I, Kurenai Yuhi, recommend these Genin as well" Kurenai said.

"And last, but not least, my Squad is number 10, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi. I, Asuma Sarutobi, recommend all three of these Genin for the Chunin Exams" Asuma said with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, a common habit of his.

Whispering erupted from within the room at the announcement that 9 rookie Genin, fresh out of the academy, would be partaking in the Chunin Exams, something that had not happened in 5 years.

"Wait just a minute!" Iruka said angrily, taking a step forward.

"Yes, what is it Iruka?" The Third Hokage asked as all 3 Jonin turned to face the angry Chunin with a long scar across his nose.

"Lord Hokage, with all do respect, the 9 names that were just given were all students of mine at the academy. Believe me, I know their skills and abilities and I realize that they show great promise, but it's simply too soon. They need more experience before they are tested. If they participate in them now, they are sure to fail.

"Iruka, when I became a Chunin, I was 7 years younger than what Naruto is now." Kakashi reminded him.

It was actually a fact. Kakashi, like his father Sakumo Hatake, now deceased, was considered a genius among his peers. In fact, Kakashi graduated from the Ninja Academy at the top of his class after only one year at the age of 5. Then he became a Chunin at the age of 6. This, of course, made Iruka even angrier. How could Kakashi compare Naruto to himself!?

"Naruto is nothing like you! Are you trying to destroy him!!?" Iruka shouted angrily, unaware of Naruto's true strength.

"Well, their always complaining about not being challenged enough, so maybe wiping out in the exams will teach them a lesson. Besides, a little pain is good. No pain, no gain is what I say" Kakashi said casually.

"What did you say!?" Iruka said menacingly.

"I don't mean anything fatal of course, but seriously Iruka, you need to relax." Kakashi said, trying to calm his lover down.

Iruka was about to make a comeback, but Kakashi interrupted him.

"Listen, I understand how you feel. It's very personal for you and it upsets you, but--" Kakashi said before Kurenai interrupted him.

"Alright Kakashi, back off. You've said enough" Kurenai said with a tone.

"On the contrary Kurenai, Iruka needs to hear this." Kakashi said, ignoring Kurenai's tone.

Kurenai narrowed her eyes for a split second, but she allowed Kakashi to speak.

"Iruka, you need to realize that they are not your students anymore. In fact, they are now my subordinates" Kakashi said calmly and casually.

Iruka was too angry beyond words, so all he could do was growl. Sometimes, Kakashi could be so difficult. Yet this was actually one of the few times they had actually fought.

Meanwhile, Asuma was beginning to get agitated.

'_Enough already. These two can bicker some other time._' Asuma thought to himself impatiently.

Kurenai merely sighed in exasperation.

"Kakashi! These exams will destroy them!! You know how dangerous they are!" Iruka yelled back, he couldn't believe that the man he loved could be so insensitive to his own team. It was unheard of!

"Iruka! You have made your point and I understand where you come from. Accordingly, I have decided that the best thing to do is to let them take a special preliminary test" The Hokage said calmly after getting Iruka's attention.

"Pre-Preliminary test? Lord Hokage, I'm afraid I don't follow" Iruka stuttered.

"It isn't anything fatal Iruka and it will also let you see for yourself how strong your students have become." The Hokage explained. " All you have to do is......"

* * *

Squad 7 was waiting at one of the bridges that connected one half of Konoha to the next half. Originally, they were at the training grounds, catching up with each other after being separated for a month and a half. Then they had gotten a message from Kakashi sensei that told them to meet at the main bridge. So now, here they were. It was 25 minutes later and Kakashi still had not arrived. In other words, he was late...._again_.

"Dammit, I'm getting tired of this! Why is it that Kakashi gives us instructions to meet somewhere, but then he's always so freakin late!?" Sakura said angrily. Hell, if you really think about it, it's the same as being stood up.

"I know! I could be learning some really cool jutsu right now with Pervy Sage!" Naruto replied back, just as loud as Sakura.

"Is that all you can think about!? You spent a month and half learning all kinds of new jutsu!! What else is there for you to possibly learn!!?" Sakura hollered. Honestly, with the Rinnegan, Naruto could learn and master any freakin jutsu IN THE WORLD, and he already has enough! What more could he want to learn?

Sasuke on the other hand, calmly leaned against the railing of the bridge lazily and bored out of his mind. He had been listening to his kitsune and Sakura argue nonstop and he was starting to get a headache. On the outside he appeared calm and apathetic, but on the inside was whole other story.

'_Can't these two shut up for at least 5 minutes!? Jesus, their driving me nuts! I feel like ripping my hair out right now! Kakashi, I don't where you are, but you had better get your ass here soon or I'm going to lose it!! Naruto is loud enough in bed for Christ's sakes!_' Sasuke screamed in thought, he didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to last.

As if on cue, Kakashi appeared from ontop of one of the wooden structures above the bridge. He looked down at them and squatted down.

"Hey everyone, sorry I'm late. I got lost on the path of life." Kakashi said in his cool tone of voice while waving.

"YOU LIAR!!!" Naruto and Sakura screamed up at him at the same time.

Kakashi jumped down and stood in front of them.

"I know this is kind of sudden, but I successfully registered you three for the Chunin Exams. These are your application forms" Kakashi as said he handed them each a slip of paper with their name and general information written on it, signifying that they were officially registered in.

"Registration forms?" Sakura said questioningly.

"Yes. They are proof that you are now in the Exams. However, if you feel that you are not yet ready, just give them back to me and I'll cancel your application." Kakashi explained.

"Alright! This is so awesome! Thanks a bunch Kakashi sensei!!" Naruto said as he leaped forward and hugged Kakashi.

"Calm down Naruto and please let go. Your cutting off my air supply." Kakashi said to the blonde holding on to him.

"Oh right, sorry" Naruto apologized as he left go.

"Now then, if you do wish to participate in the exams, just sign the application and take it to room 301 at the Ninja Academy. You have to have it there by 3:00 pm tomorrow or you'll have to wait until next year. It would've been today, but there are too many last minute registrations and they need to be registered in. So you all have until tomorrow to decide whether or not you want to participate." Kakashi finished explaining.

After that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Haha, yes! Chunin Exams! Chunin Exams!" Naruto said, as energetic as ever. Although, he couldn't help but be excited. This was what he had trained for and he would finally get the chance to show the other ninjas what he was made of. They all saw him as a dead last and a nobody. All of that was about to change however. After seeing his skill, the other ninjas would finally start respecting him.

Squad 7 began their walk back into town while thinking about the Chunin Exams and the the other strong ninja they would face. Each member, however, felt differently than the other.

Sasuke felt nothing but confidence and would take on any ninja that dared to cross his path. He was much stronger now and he was more than happy to show the other amateurs what he could do. He would remind them why the Uchiha clan was to be feared and respected. After thinking this, Sasuke couldn't help but give off his signature smirk.

Naruto felt so giddy that he could barely contain his excitement. He would finally get to fight other ninja his own age with their own unique abilities. It would provide the perfect challenge for his skills and he would finally get to show what he was made of.

Sakura, on the other hand, was nervous beyond words. Sure she had trained for this, but Sakura herself didn't feel ready. She was kind of reluctant to fight against other ninja her own age who had also trained for the exams.

'_I'm not so sure I can do this. Even though I trained for this, I'm still far behind Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun. Maybe I should skip the exams and wait till next year. But Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun need me to be there. Oh, what am I going to do? Should I take the exams or not_?' Sakura argued with herself. She decided that she would need more time to think about it.

As Squad 7 arrived in town, they noticed the large crowd of ninjas entering the village. They knew instantly that the large crowd was their competition for the Chunin Exams. Ninja from all lands and villages were pouring in. More then likely, they were the last minute registrations. This actually surprised them a little. They knew there would be a lot of ninja participating in the exams, but not this many. Either way, it just made Sasuke and Naruto all the more eager for tomorrow to come so they could meet these ninja face to face. Sakura, on the other hand, was close to having a panic attack, but she didn't show it.

Squad 7 gave the arriving ninja one last glance before parting ways and heading home.

**Alright everyone, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and be sure to review and tell me what you think. I realize that this chapter isn't as exciting as the last ones, but I had to add it in anyway in order to get to the next chapter. By the way, the next chapter is when the action begins, so bare with me until then. With that being said, stay tuned and stay gold.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Alright everyone, hello and welcome to another chapter. Sorry the last one wasn't as exciting, but there will definitely be some action in this one. I realize that this isn't exactly how it happened in the anime, but it's close enough. I'm glad you all have enjoyed the story so far and thank you all for replying. I also realize that there isn't much romance in the Chunin Exams saga, but I'll try to add in bits and pieces here and there until the exams end; then there will be more romance. So bare with me until then. And remember, if you have any ideas, let me know and I'll try to add them in. Be sure that the idea is reasonable and not something off that's off the wall. One more thing, if any of you are not familiar with the Rinnegan's abilities, go to and to the website's search engine and type in Naruto Shippuden Episode 129 and watch all the way to episode 133. Hulu has all the Naruto Shippuden episodes so far, but their in Japanese so you'll have to read the subtitles. You'll see some of the Rinnegan's abilities so you won't be confused. I'm actually not making these abilities up; their actually in the anime. By now I'm sure you're all tired of me talking, so here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 18**

It was the next day, the day of the exams, and Naruto Uzumaki was taking a friendly stroll through the village. Normally, the blonde would be with his protective lover Sasuke, but said lover was currently doing some last minute training with Kakashi sensei. Sakura was doing her own thing since Tsunade was back in Tanzaku Town, probably gambling. Tsunade had a serious gambling problem that she refused to get help for. Not only that, she almost **always **lost, earning her the nickname the "Legendary Sucker". Since Jiraiya was doing "research" for his next Icha Icha novel, Naruto was free to do as he pleased for the time being until it was time for the exams to start. So he figured, why not take a friendly stroll through town?

After having 5 heaping bowls of ramen, Naruto was now currently at the main bridge, looking out over the river. It wasn't often that Naruto got some free time like this, so he would make the most it by enjoying the calming feel of nature. The sun was high in the sky shining brightly, bathing Naruto and everyone else that was outside in in its warm heat. The temperature was a comfortable 77 degrees and the wind was blowing calmly through his golden hair, making it sway. Naruto took a big breathe of fresh air and let it out slowly.

'_Ah, this is nice. I wish I could have times like this more often instead of just on occasions. It's so peaceful for once_' Naruto thought as he felt another cool breeze. He knew this peaceful moment wouldn't last for very long since the Chunin Exams would be starting in a few minutes, but he didn't really care. He would get the most out of this while he still could. Besides, the Hokage would send out a signal when it was time for the exams to begin, so he wouldn't miss anything.

Naruto's moment of piece was interrupted before it was actually time to go by the arrival of Konohmaru Sarutobi, the young grandson of the third Hokage, and his friends.

Konohamaru Sarutobi was named after the village of Konoha and considered himself to be Naruto's rival. Along with his friends, Udon and Moegi, he would always challenge Naruto whenever the opportunity presented itself. Konohamaru had short, spiky brown hair and black eyes. He normally wears a yellow shirt with the Konoha symbol in red, grey shorts, and a long blue scarf.

Despite the two pretending to be rivals, the two clearly have a deep and understanding relationship, that goes far beyond the boundaries of a mentor/protégé relationship. Naruto first met Konohamaru in the Hokage's office when Naruto was being evaluated for his skills as a ninja. After the two spent a little time together, Konohamaru opened up to Naruto and told him that he was sad because nobody saw him for who he really was, instead, they only saw him as the grandson of the Third Hokage and was always called "honorable grandson" instead of Konohamaru. He liked Naruto because he thought they were similar, in that everybody only saw Naruto as the Kyuubi vessel instead of who he was, and he was always called "demon vessel" instead of Naruto. They eventually became very close, and Naruto also taught Konohamaru some jutsu that he himself excels in. Also, Konohamaru commonly refers to Naruto as "boss".

Anyway, Konohamaru and his friends were passing by when they noticed their favorite blonde haired ninja standing on the bridge and looking out over the river. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to spend time with him before the exams, the trio made their way over.

"Hey boss, whatcha doin"? Konohamaru asked.

"Oh, nothing much. I'm just enjoying nature while I still can. Why, what's up"? Naruto asked, happy to see his "self-proclaimed" rival.

"Well, we were wondering if you'd like to play "Ninja" with us"? Konohamaru asked brightly.

Naruto pretended to ponder for a moment.

"Well, I don't have any dangerous missions planned, so sure, I'll play" Naruto said while giving his usual smile.

"Excellent" the three kids exclaimed in unison.

However, before anyone could actually start playing, a masked ninja appeared behind Moegi and snatched the orange haired girl up. The ninja wore a head band with 4 parallel vertical lines on it, meaning he was from Amegakure, the Village Hidden in the Rain. The Rain ninja then jumped onto one of the wooden structures above the bridge and glared down at the 3 remaining boys. All the while, Moegi was screaming for help.

"Hey! What are you doing with Moegi you big slug!?" Konohamaru yelled. "Put her down!"

"Yeah, or you'll be sorry!" Udon agreed with his runny nose.

"I suggest you let the girl go" Naruto said in a threatening tone while reaching for one of his custom kunai.

He figured this ninja was just here for the exams, but that gave him no right to just start causing trouble in the village as he pleased. And messing with Naruto's friends was a **HUGE **no-no.

"Sorry, but I don't take orders from children. If you want the girl, then come and take her from me!" the Rain ninja said hatefully.

Using his chakra enhanced speed, Naruto seemed to teleport to the rain ninja's position and tried to cut his throat with his custom kunai, but the rain ninja managed to move just in time to avoid the fatal blow. Realizing that his opponent was stronger and faster than he originally thought, the intruder turned and hauled ass, going at his maximum speed.

Naruto could've easily caught up and cut the intruder down, but strangely, he just stood there and watched the intruder escape.

"Naruto!! What are you doing, go after him!?" Udon yelled

"Yeah, come on. We have to go save her!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I've got it under control. See my kunai; the jutsu formula is missing. I marked that ninja with it when I tried to attack him. As long as that seal mark is on him, I can track his movements and know exactly where he and Moegi are at all times. All we have to do now is wait for him to stop somewhere and I can instantly teleport us to where he is at the speed of light. We'll have Moegi back in no time at all." Naruto exclaimed, smiling from under his mask.

"Wow, really!! That is so awesome!! When did you learn that jutsu boss"? Konohamaru questioned, he'd had no idea that Naruto had gotten this strong.

"Yeah, can you teach us"? Udon asked, he'd never heard of a teleportation jutsu before, but it sounded pretty kick ass.

"I'll teach you guys some other time. Right now, we need to focus on saving Moegi. And I think our intruder is almost at his stopping point" Naruto said as he felt the intruder's chakra begin to slow down.

* * *

Sakura Haruno was currently at one of her favorite tea houses and was still contemplating on whether or not she should take the exams. This had been bothering her all throughout last night and she had barely slept. Today was the big day of the exams, and she knew she had to decide here and now. Sakura was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice that her tea was getting cold.

'_These Chunin Exams are today and I still haven't decided on whether or not I'm actually going to participate. I can't beat Sasuke and I sure as hell can't beat Naruto, even with my new abilities. Although, I can't just abandon my teammates either and I know their going to participate. Dammit, why is this so damn hard!?'_ Sakura thought to herself angrily. She really hated these situations. Why couldn't she have just been born a genius ninja?

Suddenly, Sasuke arrived at her table.

"Sakura, you wanna go for a walk? Just you and me?" Sasuke asked.

Normally, Sakura would question why he wasn't with Naruto. However, _the _Sasuke Uchiha had just asked her to go on a walk with him and she was not about to say no.

"Sure Sasuke-kun, I'd love to" Sakura said with a faint blush.

Even though Sasuke had no interest in her, Sakura still couldn't help but feel attracted to him somehow.

'_Maybe this walk will help clear my head and help me make a decision_' Sakura thought to herself.

The pink haired kunoichi sipped some of her slightly cold tea, left a tip, and followed Sasuke out of the tea house.

* * *

The intruding Rain ninja that had kidnapped Moegi was now starting to slow down after he realized that he was not being followed.

"Your friends must not care about you very much, little brat. To think that they would just abandon you like this is pretty cold hearted even for me" the intruder snarled as he leaped to the next tree branch.

"They didn't abandon me! You just wait and see!!" Moegi hollered back as the intruder landed on the ground and began to tie her to a tree.

"We'll see about that, and stop squirming you annoying little demon" the intruder said as he finished tying the last not.

Moegi was now tightly tied to the trunk of the tree and had no chance of escaping.

"Now then, if your friends are not here before the exams begin, I shall kill you and leave you here to rot. So you had better hope they get here" the intruder said with a snarl while pulling out a dagger.

"Sorry, but you won't get the chance to lay a hand on her" a familiar voice said.

Stepping away from Moegi and looking behind him, he was surprised to see the masked blonde haired kid. Not only was he baffled at how the kid got there so fast, but what stunned him beyond belief was that the kid now had a pair of Rinnegan eyes activated.

"What!! It can't be! Your Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan! No wonder you possess such skill, but how did you get here so fast!? Nobody is that fast, not even me!" The intruder exclaimed in disbelief.

During the month and a half separation, Naruto's reputation as Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan had spread far and wide. Stories of Naruto's amazing abilities were told to many people by the Fuma Clan and those that had witnessed it while passing by that day. Of course, many people were skeptical that such a mere Genin could have such power, but after seeing the crater created by the Blaze Ball Jutsu, it was all the proof they needed to make them believe. The mere idea of even facing Naruto brought fear to Konoha's enemies, fearing that they may meet the same fate as the Marauder Syndicate. Even the other criminal organizations feared the Rinnegan's power.

"Good to see you already know my name, and I suggest you remember it" Naruto said, getting ahead of himself like always "and it's called the Flying Thunder God technique, made famous by the 4th Hokage himself. It allows me to teleport to any location where I have a jutsu formula marked within the blink of an eye without using chakra and without making a sound. I marked you with the jutsu formula when I tried to attack you. Using that, I tracked your movements all the way here and waited patiently for you to finally stop. Now then, do you mind telling me what you're doing with Moegi"?

The intruder chuckled darkly.

"You want to know what I'm going to do; do you really want to know"? the intruder asked evilly as he pulled out a kunai and pressed it to Moegi's neck. "Bring me the 1st Hokage's Scroll of Sealing and I'll let the brat go"

"And if I refuse"? Naruto asked as he narrowed his Rinnegan eyes.

"Heh, then I guess you don't care about the girl then, do you"? the intruder said, his eyes narrowing also.

"What girl? All I see are two dummies: you and the the one next to you made of straw" Naruto replied

Baffled, the intruder looked back and noticed that instead of the little orange haired girl being tied to the tree, there was a dummy made of straw in her place instead.

"What! Where is she"? the Rain ninja asked, baffled.

"She's right here, with the greatest ninja in the world!" a voice said from above.

"That's you boss, you're my hero!" another voice said.

The rain ninja looked up and saw the blonde haired kid holding the orange haired girl beside him.

'_Impossible, I didn't even see him make the hand sign! This kid's speed is unsurpassed! Just what I would expect from a Leaf shinobi, let alone the Master of the Rinnegan_' the intruder said to himself. However, he had to get back to business.

"Huh!? The shadow clone technique? Aaarrgh, I'll just have to waste all of you then!!" the intruder said, pissed off at the fact that his plan had fallen apart. Hell, he was lucky to even be alive. Naruto was being nice and giving him a chance.

"You fool, you just don't know when you're outclassed!" Naruto said as he pulled out a net made of metal.

Naruto threw the metal net and caught the intruder dead on before he could make a move to do anything. The intruder feel to the ground, struggling with everything he had, but failing to escape.

"Alright, time to bring you in for questioning. Konohamaru! Udon! You two can come out now!" Naruto yelled behind him.

Konohamaru and Udon, who had been hiding behind cover while Naruto rescued Moegi, came out from the bushes and came to greet their "leader" with bright smiling faces.

"You did it boss! You saved Moegi, and that kekkei genkai of yours is wicked cool!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

Naruto had shown Konohamaru the Rinnegan when they had first met and Konohamaru was amazed at how it looked. The color and the ripple pattern seemed to almost hypnotize him and he loved it whenever Naruto let him see it, even if it was on rare occasions.

"Oh, it was nothing. You just have to know what you're doin" Naruto said casually, not even getting his jacket dirty.

While Konohamaru checked on Moegi to see if she was alright, Udon went over to Naruto.

"Hey boss, can I see what he looks like"? Udon asked curiously.

"Sure, I'll show you---hey!" Naruto exclaimed when he looked over at where the intruder was.

However, instead of the Rain ninja being under the net, there was a boulder instead. At some point, the intruder had escaped without even Naruto noticing!!

"Substitution!!? You've gotta be kidding me!" Naruto yelled, ready to rip his hair out. How could he have been so careless?

"You let him get away boss! I thought you had em!" Konohamaru excliamed

"I thought I did too, but I guess he was one step ahead. On the bright side though, we at least got Moegi back" Naruto replied.

"Yeah, well, if he comes back...." Konohamaru began.

As the group argued, the mysterious Rain ninja hid behind a tree while concealing his chakra.

"I see. **That** one will be a force to be reckoned with" the intruder said as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

As Sakura reached the training grounds with Sasuke, she became aware of the eerie mist that settled. It wasn't there before and it kind of frightened her, but she was with Sasuke so she felt safe too.

They had been walking for a while and Sakura was starting to become a little suspicious. Sasuke was normally with Naruto, so why did he suddenly ask her to walk with him? It just didn't add up.

"Um Sasuke, how come all of a sudden you wanted me to walk with you? I mean, is everything okay between you and Naruto?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke had been quiet the entire walk and it sort of perplexed her.

"Yes, everything is fine between me and Naruto. Also, I wanted you to walk with me because I need to tell you to give up on the Chunin Exams. There is no way so you can pass them Sakura" Sasuke replied in a sort of cold tone of voice.

"I was afraid of that. I've been thinking about it and I realize that...you're right" Sakura said disappointedly. There was no use in lying to herself.

"The ninjas in the exam are highly advanced and have no mercy. If you try to fight them, you could lose your life" Sasuke said as he turned to her.

"Wait a second, you're telling me this because you accept me as a comrade right? You care about me just a little, don't you?" Sakura asked, suddenly happy.

"Call it what you want, but I'm telling you this for your own good" Sasuke said indifferently.

"Aww, two sweethearts. How very touching" a raspy voice said from within the mist.

"I suggest you get lost if you don't want to die" Sasuke coldly, looking over his shoulder without turning all the way around.

The mist cleared just enough to show the mysterious figure, and the figure standing on one of the wooden posts was none other than the same Rain ninja that had tried kidnapped Moegi!

"Your talk is cheap!" the rain ninja said as he threw a handful of shuriken at Sasuke.

Sasuke pulled out a kunai and easily deflected all the shuriken thrown at him.

"Alright, now I'm really pissed" Sasuke said as he charged at the mysterious intruder.

"Be careful Sasuke, this could be dangerous" Sakura warned, but Sasuke didn't seem to hear her.

The Rain ninja jumped into the air and threw what looked like an umbrella at Sasuke. Sasuke smirked and threw a kunai at it, planning for it to go through the umbrella and hit the strange assassin. However, as the kunai struck the umbrella, the umbrella broke apart into hundreds of kunai that rained down upon Sasuke before he could move out of the way.

Sakura waited for the dust to clear, and was horrified when she saw Sasuke lying on the ground with multiple kunai embedded into his back. The raven layed there on the the ground and didn't move, not even seeming to breathe.

"Sasuke...Sasuke!...SASUKE!!" Sakura yelled as she ran towards Sasuke's seemingly lifeless body with tears in her eyes.

She knelt over Sasuke's body and appeared to cry hysterically.

"Ha, he's finished. Get a good look at him because that's what's going to happen to you if you take the Chunin Exams" the Rain ninja said coldly.

"Oh Sasuke, why!....yeah right, like I would fall for something like this. What do you take me for, an idiot? I saw right through this cheap genjutsu from the start" Sakura said after she abruptly ended her act.

"What are talking about you foolish brat?" the intruder asked, secretly baffled that this Genin had seen through his trick.

"Firstly, Sasuke would never ask me out on a walk or even ask me out at all because he's in love with Naruto. Secondly, even if Sasuke did care for me, he would never show it or even admit it for that matter. Sorry, but you'll have to do better that that if you want to fool me" Sakura explained.

"Are you calling me a fraud!?" the Rain ninja asked angrily.

"I'd say that, but I think coward is more like it. I know that the real ninja has already run away, so you're just an illusion" Sakura said as she stood up.

"I'm not real huh? Well we'll see about that!" the Rain ninja said as he tossed another kunai umbrella at Sakura.

Sakura, however, did not flinch as she walked forward and the umbrella passed harmlessly through her, proving that it truly was just an illusion.

"I'm sure this proves my point" Sakura said as she crossed her arms over her chest triumphantly.

"Heh, this is exactly what I expect from a kunoichi trained by Kakashi, but the Chunin Exams will be more than just illusions, and we'll see if you have what it takes to survive" the Rain ninja said as he he vanished into thin air.

"Illusions or not, I'm ready for those exams so bring em on!" Sakura yelled with new found confidence, pumping her fist into the air.

Sure she was still a little worried, but she figured that if she could take that guy down and see through his genjutsu, then she would stand a pretty good chance in the exams. No sooner had the battle ended when the mist lifted, and Sakura could finally see sunlight again. She suddenly heard a hawk screeching from above and knew what it meant instantly: it was time for the Chunin Exams to start! Pulling a pen and her application from the pouch on her pocket, Sakura signed on the dotted line and raced off towards the Ninja Academy.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha landed a hard kick to the face of the rain ninja that had attacked him after his training with Kakashi, sending him crashing into a tree. This, of course, was the same ninja that had kidnapped Moegi and attacked Sakura. Either way, he had come to intimidate Sasuke into not taking the exams, but he had another thing coming. Sasuke was going to walk away because this guy wasn't worth his time, but then the intruder said something about Naruto that he shouldn't have said, and it was a done deal after that. Sasuke wasted no time and kicked this guys ass, whoever he was.

After the intruder had gathered his senses, he looked up and almost gasped out loud when he saw Sasuke standing over him like an ominous shadow.

"I don't know who the **fuck **you think you are, but I highly suggest you keep Naruto's name out of your mouth. And if you so much as come near him, I will **fucking murder you! **And stay the hell out of our village. You're not welcome here, whether it's for the Chunin Exams or not." Sasuke said in a tone that was so cold, that even the intruder himself shuddered. In fact, he couldn't even look Sasuke in the eye.

Speaking of Naruto made Sasuke want to see his blonde even more. He had missed him this morning because of training and was going to go see him now, till this prick showed up.

Defeated, the Rain ninja disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke scoffed and was about to walk away when he heard the hawk overhead screeching.

"So it's finally time huh? Alright then, let's do this. I wanna see Naruto anyway" Sasuke said as he pulled out a pen and his application. The raven quickly signed where it said "signature" and casually walked towards the Ninja Academy.

* * *

Kakashi sat on the roof of his house, casually reading his book when the mysterious Rain ninja appeared behind him. Sighing, Kakashi marked his page and closed his book.

"So, how did it go?" Kakashi asked.

"They all made it, your squad and the others. All nine Genin proved themselves ready for the Chunin Exams" the Rain ninja replied.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and Iruka Umino stood in the place of the intruder.

"You were right Kakashi, their good. Each of them have developed very impressive skills, especially Naruto, even having made a reputation for himself" Iruka said.

" I see what you mean, but the Chunin Exams can break anyone. We'll see if they can tough it out" Kakashi said calmly.

"Kakashi, why did you not tell me about Naruto's hidden strength? I think I deserved to know that my....adoptive son is a genius" Iruka said after pondering it.

Naruto was indeed the son that Iruka never had and Iruka was Naruto's only father figure. Naruto had even called Iruka "father" when he was a little kid since Iruka was the only one that was there for him. Of course, Naruto wasn't actually his son, but Iruka naturally thought of him as such. After establishing this father/son relationship with Naruto, he felt that he had a right, as a parent, to know about Naruto's hidden talent. In fact, he'd had no clue that Naruto even had a kekkei genkai until now!!

"Because you would stress over him too much. Don't worry, Jiraiya has trained him well and Naruto has full control over his abilities. Naruto is a strong shinobi now and he'll do fine, trust me. I'm sorry I did not tell you and you can be angry if you want, but raising a genius ninja would've put more stress on you and that's the last thing you needed" Kakashi said as he got up and pulled Iruka into a embrace and gently stroked his back.

Instead of getting mad, however, Iruka nodded in understanding and hugged Kakashi back. Iruka looked up at Kakashi, and tentatively, reached up and pulled Kakashi's mask down, exposing his handsome face. Without a second thought, Iruka leaned upward and shared a passionate kiss with Kakashi ontop of his roof.

* * *

A girl with her hair tied into two buns, and who had brown eyes and wore a pink sleeveless blouse and dark green pants, threw a handful of kunai at a straw dummy, each kunai hitting it's mark directly in all of the dummy's vital spots. Had this have been a human, they would already be dead. All around her was her handiwork, straw dummies strung up on trees with kunai embedded into them where their vital spots would be. The girl couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Yeah, the Chunin Exams would be a piece of cake this year.

"Did you hear? We're going to have rookies in the exams, first year Genin. This sort of thing has not happened in five years" her partner said, a boy clad in green spandex who had black hair cut in a bowl shape. This boy also hand bandages covering both of his arms and hands.

"No way. It's probably just some Jonin trying to boost their egos" the girl said as she twirled another kunai in her hand.

"Actually no, there is more to the story than that. 3 of them are from Kakashi's squad" the green spandex wearing boy said.

"Hm, interesting" another teammate said who was sitting against the tree under a straw dummy. The boy had long brown hair tied up at the end and he wore a khaki shirt and slightly dark brown pants. His head band was black with two straps framing the side of his face. Lastly, he also had bandages wrapped around his right arm, chest, and right leg.

"But not very" the girl replied as she tossed her kunai with deadly accuracy at the straw dummy right above the brown haired boy, hitting the dummy in another vital spot.

"Either way, it's too bad for them" the brown haired boy said, sneering along with the rest of his teammates.

Honestly, he was interested in meeting the members of Kakashi's team. They, he knew, would give him a real challenge.

**(Sighs) Finally, this chapter is finished. I deeply apologize for the long wait and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review and tell me what you guys think, though may not like this one very much, but review anyway. In the next chapter, Squad 7 will finally meet the sand siblings and begin the first part of the Chunin Exams. Until then, stay tuned and stay gold.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 19**

As the hawk in the sky continued to sound off the signal, ninja all over Konoha, whom were taking the exams, began to make their way to the Ninja Academy. Among these, of course, was Naruto. Only a few minutes after saving Moegi, Naruto had heard the signal over Konohamaru's yelling at him for letting the enemy get away. He'd already signed his application ahead of time so he was ready to head out. Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi had insisted on seeing the 'boss" off, so now Naruto, Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi were making their way through town to the academy.

Along the way, Naruto told the three kids all about his training with Jiraiya, the new jutsu he had learned, and about his kekkei genkai, the Rinnegan. Naruto was more than happy to answer their questions. In fact, he loved spending time with Konohamaru and his buddies; they were like his younger siblings.

As Naruto told them information about the Rinnegan, they accidentally bumped into Sakura, who had been too caught up in her own thoughts to pay attention to where she was going.

"Oh, hey Sakura-chan! Good to see you!" Naruto said excitedly. He'd hardly seen Sakura since yesterday and he'd really missed her. Naruto may not have had a crush on her anymore, but he still considered Sakura a close friend.

"Hello Naruto-kun. Good to see you too" Sakura said while blushing. Sakura had unintentionally avoided Naruto while she was deciding whether or not to take the exams and now she was starting to feel guilty. She honestly had not meant to completely blow him off. In fact, she was starting to become really fond of Naruto and she considered him a true, close friend. The fact that Naruto forgave her even after everything she'd done to him made Sakura realize that Naruto was one in a million and she was lucky to have a friend like him.

"Are you heading to the academy too?" Naruto asked, hoping that Sakura had decided to participate in exams. Taking the exams without Sakura just wouldn't feel right. Sure he'd be with Sasuke, but he still wanted Sakura to be there.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Do you wanna walk with me there?" Sakura asked, still a light shade of red.

"Sure I would! I was on my way there right now" Naruto said as Sakura joined him, along with Konohamaru and his friends. First he was going to get to participate in the Chunin Exams and now he was walking to the exams with his closest friend. This day just kept getting better!

Along the way, as Naruto and Sakura made casual conversation, Konohamaru watched Sakura intently. The pink haired kunoichi was blushing nonstop and was acting timidly. This piqued the young child's interest. Reaching forward, Konohamaru tugged Naruto's sleeve.

"Hey boss, who is this girl and why does she keep blushing at you?" Konohamaru asked innocently.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Konohamaru, this Sakura Haruno. She's a close friend of mine. Sakura, this Konohamaru Sarutobi, the grandson of the old man. Those two are Udon and Moegi" Naruto said, stopping as he introduced everyone.

"Nice to meet you all" Sakura said cheerfully. Udon and Moegi said hello back, but Konohamaru sort of gave her a look.

"Yeah, hey and all, but why do you keep blushing at Naruto?" Konohamaru asked, but then he began to ponder for a moment before coming to an assumption.

"Oh, I get it. You must be boss's girlfriend! No wonder you called him Naruto-kun" Konohamaru exclaimed, catching Sakura off guard momentarily.

"No, you've got it all wrong. Naruto is just a close friend of mine, that's all" Sakura corrected him. She didn't realize she'd been blushing. It was partly because she was a little winded and she still felt a little guilty about avoiding Naruto and it made her feel kind of nervous to be around him again.

"Sakura-chan isn't my girlfriend Konohamaru. I go out with Sasuke" Naruto explained.

"Really! You mean _the _Sasuke Uchiha is your boyfriend!" Moegi said incredulously. "You're so lucky boss!"

"I never would've thought you'd roll that way, but Sasuke is actually a good choice. I mean, there's no way you'd take an ugly girl like this for a girlfriend" Konohamaru said, pointing at Sakura.

A vein popped out right above Sakura's left eyebrow and she threateningly clenched her fists. This kid had definitely pressed the wrong button.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!" Sakura yelled, pissed off.

Naruto gulped. Now Sakura was normally a kind girl, but when she got angry, she could be twice as worse as Iruka sensei.

"Konohamaru...run" Udon said in a shaky voice, feeling the intent to kill come off Sakura in waves.

Konohamaru didn't need to be told twice. With a burst of speed, Konohamaru took off forward at full speed.

"Get back here you little prick! I'll show you who's ugly!" Sakura said as she ran after Konohamaru.

Naruto, Udon, and Moegi decided to follow along. After all, in this state of mind, Sakura might actually **kill** Konohamaru...or at least seriously injure him.

Konohamaru continued to run at full speed, he'd never been so terrified. However, he was starting to slow down because he was getting tired. This, however, frightened him even more because he was being chased by a crazy woman who wanted to kill him!

Because Konohamaru was running so fast, he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. The next thing Konohamaru knew, he'd run smack into somebody and the resulting impact knocked flat on his butt. Dazed, Konohamaru looked up to see who or what he had run into and his eyes widened in confusion.

Standing above him was a woman with blonde hair tied up in 4 spiky puff balls. She also wore a head band around her neck with a symbol of an hourglass. She had teal green eyes, a giant iron fan on her back, and she currently had her hands on her hips and was looking down at him hatefully.

The other person was a boy dressed completely in black. The boy also had a hood on his head that had cat-like ears. He wore purple face paint on his face and he had some kind of wrapped up bundle on his back. He had his hands in his pockets, and like the blonde haired woman standing next to him, he glared down at Konohamaru through squinted eyes.

"Hey, kid, you need something?" the boy said threateningly.

The boy didn't give Konohamaru time to reply as he grabbed Konohamaru by his scarf and lifted the small, frightened boy off the ground. Konohamaru kicked and squirmed, but was unable to escape from the much older boy's grip.

"You know, I hate kids, I really do. Their so freakin annoying. So tell me, kid, does this hurt much?" the boy said in a hateful tone as held the struggling Konohamaru off the ground.

"Put him down Kankuro. You know you'll pay for it later" the blonde woman said warningly.

At that moment, Naruto Sakura, Udon, and Moegi finally caught up. Upon arrival, Sakura noticed Konohamaru in Kankuro's grip and realized that Konohamaru must've bumped into him by mistake.

"Hey, sorry about that. The whole thing was really my fault" Sakura said as she apologized.

'_Who the hell are these people?_' Sakura thought to herself '_Hmm, their head bands indicate that their from Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand. They must be here for the Chunin Exams too_'

"I don't know who you think you are, but I suggest you put the boy down right **now**" Naruto said in a threatening tone. He was really starting to get pissed off now. Who the hell did these guys think they were? Once again, Naruto was being nice and giving him a chance, but he'd be damned if he let this guy bully Konohamaru like this.

The boy identified as Kankuro glared at the blonde who wore a face mask that covered the bottom part of his face. Somehow, the blonde hair and blue eyes seemed familiar, but Kankuro payed it no mind. Kankuro then noticed the blonde's head band and smirked.

'_So these are the Leaf Village's Genin_' Kankuro said to himself with a sneer as his smirk grew wider.

"Come on Temari, we've still got a few more minutes before **he **gets here, so why not mess with these punks a little?" Kankuro said casually as his grip on Konohamaru tightened.

Konohamaru continued to struggle in the boy's grip.

"Let go of me you jerk!" Konohamaru said as he kicked the boy in the gut repeatedly. However, it had no effect on the teen.

"Heh, you're feisty, but not for long. Honestly, who would've thought that the Leaf Village would be full of a bunch of wimps. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's runts. And when snot nosed brats like you shoot off at the mouth, it makes me want to break you in half. So'll tell ya what, after I'm done with this runt, I'll waste you next" Kankuro said, referring to Naruto as he raised his fist.

'_What is this guy's problem? It was just an accident_' Sakura thought.

Meanwhile, Naruto had finally had it. He'd tried to be nice, but this guy was **really **asking for it. There was no way in Hell he was going to let this guy hit Konohamaru, no way. Pulling out one of his custom made kunai, Naruto was about to charge forward and slit this guy's throat when a pebble came from out of nowhere and hit Kankuro in the wrist with perfect accuracy. Kankuro dropped Konohamaru and held his wrist in pain. Baffled, Kankuro looked up at where the pebble had come from, and met eye to eye with Sasuke Uchiha, who sat up on a tree branch with another pebble in his hand that was ready to be thrown.

"You're a long way from home _friend_, and you're definitely out of your league" Sasuke said as he glared down at his strange adversary with nothing but confidence.

'_Hell yeah, Sasuke's here and better than ever!_' Sakura exclaimed to herself.

'_Teme? I thought he'd already gone to the academy. Oh well, at least he's here now_' Naruto thought happily.

'_Well now, hello there handsome. The blonde is pretty adorable, but this guy takes the cake_' Temari thought with a blush as she stared up at the stoic raven.

Kankuro, however, glared up hatefully at his raven haired attacker.

"Oh great, another wimp to piss me off" Kankuro said angrily as held his aching wrist. He knew a bruise was already starting to form.

As a show of his strength, Sasuke gripped the rock in his hand with such force, that he was able to crush it into dust with no effort at all.

"I suggest you get lost or face worse pain" Sasuke said darkly as he opened his hand and let the dust particles be carried off by the wind.

"Wow, he's so cool!" Moegi said as her eyes turned into pink hearts. Sakura merely blushed, she was still into Sasuke, just not as much as before.

Konohamaru picked himself up off the ground and ran over to Naruto.,

"Hey boss, your boyfriend is here and he doesn't look too happy." Konohamaru said in a low voice.

"Yeah, no kidding. He's gotten better at hiding his chakra presence. Even I couldn't sense him up there" Naruto replied.

'_Dammit teme! You have a bad habit of stepping in. I could've handled this on my own! AAAARRRGGGHH!_' Naruto secretly thought to himself angrily while clenching his fists.

After the aching in his wrist had subsided, Kankuro decided it was time face this Leaf Village wimp.

"Hey, asshole, get down here. I need to have a word with you" Kankuro said in a threatening tone.

Sasuke payed no mind to Kankuro's command and continued to glare daggers at him.

"You know something, you're the kind of snot nosed brat I hate the most: all attitude and nothing to back it up!" Kankuro shouted angrily as he removed the wrapped bundle from his back.

"Wait, Kankuro! You're actually going to use the Crow here!" Temari asked in surprise as Kankuro began to unwrap the bundle.

Before Kankuro could reply, a cold sounding voice spoke up from the branch beside Sasuke.

"Kankuro...back off" the voice said in a tone that was chilling to the bone.

Sasuke eye's widened and he whipped his head to the side to look at the person whom the voice belonged to.

Standing upside down on the branch beside Sasuke's with his arms crossed was a boy with brick red hair, turquoise eyes with a black ring around either of them, and the kanji for "love" written on the left side of his forehead. The boy had pale skin, and strangely, no eyebrows. He also wore a full black body suit with t-shirt-like sleeves, ¾-length legs, and an open neck area. With this, he wore a white cloth over his right shoulder and the left side of his hips, and a wide leather band system over the left shoulder and right side of his hips. With this leather band, he carried around a giant gourd on his back.

"Hn, Kankuro, you're an embarrassment to our village" the boy said in the same cold tone of voice.

Kankuro immediately tensed up and seemed to become terrified.

"H-H-Hey G-G-Gaara" Kankuro stuttered nervously. The boy known as Gaara narrowed his eyes threateningly.

Sasuke, meanwhile, continued to stared at the strange boy.

'_Who is this guy and how did he get there without even making a sound? Only a Jonin of Kakashi's level can move that smoothly, but then again, so can Naruto, but's he's an exception. Speaking of which, this guy has amazing chakra control. He's standing upside down like it's practically nothing_' Sasuke thought to himself as he observed this strange character.

The boy identified as Gaara continued to glare hatefully at Kankuro.

"Please, Gaara, just let me explain. Their the ones who challenged us. I mean, they started it really and-"

"Shut up" Gaara said coldly as his eyes narrowed a little more. "or I'll _kill _you"

Kankuro tensed up even more and began to sweat a little. As he stared into Gaara's eyes, his fear continued to increase until his knees began to shake. Luckily, nobody noticed.

"Uh..sure. I'm sorry Gaara, I was totally out of line" Kankuro said nervously as he and Temari raised their hands in surrender.

Seeing that Kankuro and Temari had been put back in place, Gaara turned his attention to Sasuke.

"Sorry for any trouble he caused" Gaara said, his voice still as cold as ever.

Sasuke, however, said nothing as he continued to observe this strange character closely and carefully.

'_This guy...has an evil look in his eye_' Sasuke thought as Gaara returned his stare with hard, emotionless eyes.

'_He stopped Kankuro with a pebble and made it look easy! This guy is someone to keep an eye on_' Gaara thought to himself, intrigued by the raven's skill.

With no other words, Gaara dematerialized into wisps of sand and drifted down in front of Temari and Kankuro where he rematerialized back into himself again.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to play games" Gaara said in a commanding tone as he took the lead.

"Yeah, alright, sure. I get it" Kankuro said nervously as he and Temari followed their younger brother.

"Hey you! Identify yourself!" Sasuke yelled with a commanding tone as he jumped down from the tree branch.

Temari turned around with a blush.

"You mean me?" she asked while motioning to herself.

"No, I mean him. The guy with the gourd on his back" Sasuke said while pointing at his target.

Temari and Kankuro stepped to the side as Gaara turned around to face the raven.

"My name is Gaara of the Desert. I'm curious about you as well. Who are you?" Gaara asked

"I am Sasuke Uchiha" Sasuke said coolly as he introduced himself.

After becoming familiar with one another, the two stared each other down, daring the other to look away. The tension between them was so thick, you could feel it in the air and cut it with a knife. The intense tension was shattered, however, by the sound of Naruto's voice.

"Hey there! I bet you're dying to know my name too, right!" Naruto asked eagerly, wanting to introduce himself too.

"I couldn't care less, weakling" Gaara said coldly as he turned his back.

However, Gaara was caught completely by surprise when he turned around and stared straight into Naruto's Rinnegan eyes. Temari and Kankuro took a few steps back. Temari figured that this had to be a shadow clone, but when she turned back to the others, the blonde was nowhere to be seen. That meant that the blonde now in front of them was the real thing!

'_What the! How did this kid move that fast! His speed is incredible!_' Temari thought to herself in awe.

'_Those eyes! Now I know, he's that Rinnegan Master I heard about! I knew his appearance seemed familiar somehow. Under that mask must be the whisker marks. Damn, and I actually challenged him like that! What the hell was I thinking! This guy could've taken me out in under a second if he'd wanted to! Just thinking about what he did to the Marauder Syndicate gives me chills!_' Kankuro thought to himself.

"Hey pal, whether you wanna know it or not, the name is Naruto Uzumaki, believe it and remember it!" Naruto said with anger and pride, he didn't like being labled as a pushover.

Gaara, however, continued to stare at the blonde in amazement, he'd heard of this guy before but he didn't believe it, even though he'd even gone to see the crater for himself. However, he'd still refused to believe that a Genin could have that much power. Plus, he didn't believe that the Rinnegan even existed. Now, here he was, staring the Rinnegan face to face, which was all the the proof he needed of the blonde's strength.

'_His speed is so beyond amazing, that even I didn't see him move! So then..he really can move at the speed of light! If the rest of the stories I've heard really are true, then this kid's power is even greater than that of Konoha's Sannin. If the Uchiha had not shown up, he would've killed Kankuro, no doubt about it. I saw it when he pulled out the kunai. Hmm, this guy is someone to keep an eye on as well_' Gaara thought to himself.

"I see, Naruto Uzumaki. I hadn't anticipated on running into the Master of the Rinnegan here. I especially look forward to facing you in the exams" Gaara said after getting over his shock. "Kankuro, Temari, let's go"

With that order, Kankuro and Temari followed Gaara as he bounded off towards the Ninja Academy.

Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, and Sakura stared at Naruto with open mouths.

"Wow Naruto has gotten even faster than he already was before! I couldn't even tell he'd moved!" Sakura said more to herself than anyone else.

"Boss has gotten really strong! Those Chunin Exams will be no problem for him" Udon said as Moegi only nodded in approval.

"Yeah, those other guys had better watch out" Konohamaru said

Meanwhile, Sasuke watched the three sand ninja as they left with a smrik on his face.

'_Things are starting to look interesting already, and the exams haven't even started yet_' Sasuke said to himself with satisfaction.

He was brought out of his thoughts, however, when Naruto threw his arms around him.

"Teme! You're finally here!" Naruto said happily after not seeing Sasuke all morning.

"The one and only, dobe" Sasuke said as he ruffled Naruto's hair and gave the blonde a peck on the check while wrapping his arms around him. In response, Naruto began purring.

However, the blonde abruptly stopped purring and stare up at Sasuke angrily.

"Why did you have to step in? I could've handled it you know, bastard" Naruto said.

"Oh really, that's not what it looked liked to me" Sasuke said, just to tease Naruto even further.

"No way, you saw me pull out the kunai! I was just about to take that Kankuro guy down, but then you interfered. You had better not do that in the exams!" Naruto said as he pushed away from Sasuke and folded his arms angrily.

Sasuke smirked again. He loved it when Naruto pouted like that. It was just so adorable.

"Speaking the of the exams, we should get going to the academy before we're too late" Sakura pointed out.

Everyone agreed and began to follow Sakura to the Ninja Academy. Naruto begrudgedly forgave Sasuke and allowed the raven to pull him close while they walked, with his arm wrapped protectively around the blonde's waist.

Meanwhile, above on a tree branch, three mysterious figures watched the group as they walked on. All three of the figures wore a a forehead protector with a music note on them. The three figures consisted of 2 boys and 1 girl.

"So Dosu, what do you think?" one of the boys asked.

The one identified as Dosu was currently sittng on the branch while his other 2 teammates were standing. He had bandages that covered almost his entire face except for his left eye. He wore a light purple kimono with over sized sleeves that covered up both his arms completely. He wore dark purple trousers and purple toeless shinobi sandals.

"The usual weaklings, nothing special. But that desert rat and the one from the Uchiha Clan, we should watch them. As for the brat with the Rinnegan, we especially need to keep a close eye on **him**. He may be the only real threat in the exams. In fact, I actually look foward to fighting the Master of the Rinnegan" the one identified as Dosu said in sick appreciation.

His other two teammates smirked in delight. They had a feeling that the Chunin Exams this year would be interesting indeed.

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you think.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**Important Notice: For those of you who do not know what the Rinnegan looks like, you can go to Google, click on images, and type this in the search engine and then press search: Naraka Path Naruto Shippuden. It's the first picture._ Notice his eyes._**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 20**

After their encounter with the 3 sand ninja, Squad 7, along with Konohamaru and his friends, managed to make it to the ninja academy on time. They were not the only ones either. Numerous other ninja who were taking the exams were arrivng as well. Some looked more intimidating than others. Either way, Squad 7 was ready for whatever they had to offer.

"Well, this is it" Naruto said as he turned to Konohamaru.

"You'll knock em dead boss! I know you will!" Konohamaru said with enthusiasm

"Yeah, kick all their butts Naruto!" Moegi and Udon said at the same time.

"Heh, you know it! I'll go easy on them, just to give them a chance" Naruto said as he imagined himself standing on top of a huge pile of defeated ninja.

'_As if he didn't already have a swelled head_' Sakura thought with an exasperated expression.

Naruto was pulled out of his daydream, however, by the sound of someone calling his name. Looking over to where the voice was coming from, Naruto was delighted to see Jiraiya standing over by the tree that held the swing that Naruto would commonly sit at during recess at the academy. Without a second thought, Naruto rushed over with a huge grin on his face.

"Pervy Sage! Did you come to see me off too!" Naruto asked eagerly.

"Well that's one reason. I also came to give you this" Jiraiya said as he held out a scroll with the summoning seal mark.

"Huh, what's this?" Naruto asked as he took the scroll.

"It's the scroll you need for the Dead Soul Jutsu. It has all the corpses you need for the the technique. You already know the hand signs, so it should be no problem" Jiraiya explained.

"Alright, cool" Naruto said as he packed the scroll away in his pouch.

"One more thing before I forget. I need you to sign this with your blood. It's the summoning contract that will allow you to summon toads" Jiraiya explained. He pulled out a large scroll and unwrapped it. Inside were slots with the names of those who had signed the contract previously.

Naruto nodded, and after biting his right thumb with enough force to draw blood, signed his name in the next available slot. Satisfied, Jiraiya wrapped the scroll back up and it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"There you go Naruto, you're all set. I hope you succeed in the exams and do your very best. Those ninjas won't go easy on you, so be ready for anything and remember all that you've learned. And if you want to, I'll hold on to that jacket for you. It might get in the way" Jiraiya said

"Thanks Pervy Sage, and I'll do my best. I'll show them all what I'm made of, you just watch!" Naruto said as he gave Jiraiya his white long sleeved jacket and left to rejoin his teammates.

Jiraiya smiled proudly and disappeared in a puff of smoke, confident that Naruto would push himself to his very limit if he needed to. He had trained for this and he was more than ready.

As Naruto walked back to his comrades, he noticed that the outside was starting to become deserted as less and less ninja who were taking the exams showed up.

"Hey guys, we've gotta get inside or we'll be late" Naruto informed as he walked up.

"Okay, we'll be rooting for you the whole way!" Konohamaru said pumping a fist in the air. "and sorry for calling you ugly Sakura"

"No problem, see you around honorable grandson" Sakura said as she walked into the academy.

Konohamaru was just about to yell goodbye when what Sakura said finally registered in his brain.

"WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY! And to think I apologized to that girl who has a billboard for a forehead! This sucks!" Konohamaru yelled angrily

As Konohamaru ranted on, Sasuke turned to Naruto.

"Are you ready to go dobe?" Sasuke asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be" Naruto replied as he slipped his hand into Sasuke's.

With a small genuine smile, Sasuke walked with Naruto hand-in-hand into the ninja academy.

* * *

A large crowd had gathered around as a boy dressed in spandex with a bowl cut hairstyle was punched onto the smooth wood floor with enough force to leave a small bruise. His teammate, a girl with her hair tied up into two buns, rushed over to help him up while glaring angrily up at the boy's tormentors.

"You plan on taking the Chunin Exams but you can't even get past us? Why don't you just give up before you get hurt?" a teenage boy said, who wore a blue bandana with the Leaf Village symbol on the front. He also had brown hair and black eyes.

"Yeah, I think I hear your mommy calling you" the other boy teased, who wore a Leaf Village head band and a bandage on his chin and either of his cheeks. This one had black spiky hair and his eyes were squinted, making his eyes appear as though they were slits.

"Please let us through. We're supposed to go in there" the girl said as she stood up and tried to push through.

However, she met the same fate as her green spandex-wearing teammate and she found herself punched to the floor.

"Man, that's pretty harsh" someone in the crowd said.

"Did you just say harsh? Oh please, we're being nice by comparison. The Chunin Exams are going to make this look like a walk in the park." the boy with the black spiky hair said.

"Yeah. In fact, some of you may not even survive the exams, others may be wrecked for life, and some of you might even go crazy. For a Chunin, it's always life and death in nearly every situation." the boy with the brown hair said.

"He's right you know. What, did you all think this was a joke? Chunin are chosen and qualified to _lead _missions. The lives of your squad members are in your hands, so you had better be tough enough to take the heat. In other words, this aint no place for delicate litttle girls." the boy with spiky black hair warned as he looked down at the girl with her hair in two buns.

"We're just thinning out the herd, that's all. Most of you won't pass anyway, so I suggest you give up **NOW**. And as for you little girl, go home and play with your dolls. You don't belong here with the big dogs" the one with brown hair said with a smirk.

At that moment, Squad 7 chose to step forth. They had arrived just in time to see the boy and the girl get knocked to the floor so they figured they'd watch to see what would happen from there. This would give them another opportunity to scope out their competition and they weren't gonna miss it. So far, they liked what they saw. These guys would definitely be a good challenge.

"That's a real nice speech. Now both of you, move aside and let me and my squad through" Sasuke said coldly as he walked foward with Naruto and Sakura.

"And while you're at it, reverse the genjutsu. We can see through your illusion anyway. Besides, we need to go to the **third** floor" the raven added coolly while walking forward a little more so that he was a only a few feet away from the one with brown hair.

Everyone in the room began to talk at once. Nobody understood what Sasuke was talking about. They looked up at the room number and saw that it read 301, meaning that they were already on the third floor.

"What does he mean? We're already on the third floor" one of the people behind Sasuke said to his friend.

"I don't know, maybe he's confused or something" his friend replied.

The two teenage bullies looked at Sasuke with looks of surprise for a split second before they smirked at him again.

"So you saw through the genjutsu huh?" the boy with brown hair said questioningly.

"Yes, I did. Go ahead and tell them Sakura. I'm sure you noticed it before anyone else did. When it comes to genjutsu, you're more attuned and you have an easier time sensing it than both me and Naruto. I'm sure you probably saw this coming a mile away" Sasuke said to Sakura appreciatively.

"What?" Sakura asked, taken by surprise that Sasuke was complementing her skills.

"You have the sharpest eye when it comes to genjutsu. You're able to spot it almost immediately and you have an easier time breaking out of it. You also have the best analytical mind out of the entire Squad" Sasuke explained.

Sakura thought about what Sasuke had just said and she smiled in satisfaction.

"Yeah, that's right. In fact, I spotted it right away. Obviously, this is only the second floor" Sakura said with a pride.

No sooner had she gotten finished explaining when the genjutsu wore off and the room number now said 201 instead of 301 like it did originally. Everyone looked up in shock! How had they not noticed the genjutsu before!

"Who are these guys?" one person asked.

"Who knows, but whoever they are, their good" someone else answered.

The room was abuzz with whispers and comments about how Squad 7 had effortlessly seen past the genjutsu without even having to try. In only a few short minutes, Squad 7 had become the center of attention and all eyes were on them.

"Heh, big deal. You noticed the illusion, so what. If you think you're so tough, let's see you dodge this!" the one with spiky black hair said.

He charged forward and had planned to kick Sakura in the stomach, but before he could reach her, Sakura stepped forward and slammed her fist into his face as he reached her, nailing him right between the eyes and sending him flying against the wall with such force that he left an impression before dropping to the floor in a heap. Sakura cracked her knuckles and smiled at her handy work.

"You shouldn't have done that bitch!" the boy with brown hair said as he prepared a kick of his own.

Sasuke jumped into action at that point and decided to counter the boy's kick with another even harder kick, charging his foot with enough chakra to send the guy through the wall. However, before either boys' kick could connect, the boy in the green spandex rushed forward with amazing speed and got right in the middle of both them, catching both of their attacks at the same time. Gasps rang out throughout the hallway.

'_How did he do that? I thought he was some weakling getting knocked around like that, but he's actually almost as fast as Naruto_' Sakura thought to herself in amazement.

'_Interesting. This guy actually managed to stop my kick with one arm. Not only that, he used chakra to stop it._' Sasuke thought as he stared at this new strange character.

This time the hallway was really abuzz with conversation now. No one could believe the strength of these Genin and how a girl had managed to take out one of the teenage bullies with only one punch. Obviously, these weren't the kind of people one wanted to fuck around with.

"Hey, what happened to the plan? I thought you were the one who said to keep a low profile and not to let anyone see our skill level" a boy with long brown hair said as he stepped forward.

Besides the length of the boy's hair, which dropped down to his back, what really got Squad 7's attention was his eyes. They were a lavender color and he didn't appear to have pupils. They were almost as impressive as Naruto's Rinnegan eyes whenever he had them activated, and at first glance, one would believe that the boy was blind.

"I know what I said, but..." the boy in the green spandex began, but let his voice trail off.

"Nevermind. It's already over, so forget it" the girl said as she shook her head.

However, the boy was not listening as he was currently staring at Sakura with a pink blush now present on his cheeks. He walked forward and stood directly in front of Sakura.

"Hello, my name is Rock Lee. Your name is Sakura right?" the boy identified as Rock Lee asked.

"Yes...why?" Sakura asked.

"Please be my girlfriend. I promise to protect you with my life!" Rock Lee said, flashing Sakura a thumbs up and a dazzling smile that showed his sparkling white teeth.

Sakura just stared at him.

"Absolutely...not" Sakura said somewhat bluntly.

"What, but why?" Rock Lee asked, having his hopes crushed into dust in an instant.

"Because you're way too intense, and honestly, you're a complete weirdo" Sakura said matter of factly, causing Rock Lee to hang his head in shame.

Naruto, meanwhile, stood at the sidelines with his hands behind his head and started laughing his ass off at seeing Rock Lee's misfortune.

"Hey, you over here. What's your name?" the boy with the strange eyes questioned as he walked over.

Sasuke turned to the boy with indifference.

"You know, it's common courtesy to give your own name before asking for someone else's, but if you must know, my name is Sasuke" Sasuke stated with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Hmph, you're a rookie aren't you? How old are you anyway?" the boy replied after learning Sasuke's name.

"I'm not obliged to answer" Sasuke replied in an icy tone.

"What did you say?" the other boy asked angrily, not liking being disrespected.

'_Wow, he's pretty cute_' the girl with the buns in her hair thought to herself while blushing.

Without another word, Sasuke turned his back on the boy with the strange eyes and walked over to his comrades, noticing the brown haired boy helping the black haired boy to his feet, who was still a little dazed.

"Naruto, Sakura, let's go. We still need to get to the third floor to room 301, remember?" Sasuke said as he reached them.

Naruto and Sakura nodded and followed Sasuke to the staircase that that would take them to the third floor. As they walked by, Naruto was stopped by the boy with the strange eyes.

"Hold on a second, your appearance is familiar. You are Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan, correct?" the boy asked.

Naruto smiled under his mask and nodded.

"I see. What is your name?" the boy asked.

"Glad you asked. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, believe it" Naruto said, happy that someone had finally asked his name.

"Well then, Naruto Uzumaki, I look forward to facing you later on in the exams, so you had better not lose." the boy warned. "By the way, my name is Neji Hyuga"

"Nice to meet you Neji, and don't worry, I won't lose. You can be sure of that" Naruto said before running to catch up with Sasuke and Sakura.

* * *

Meanwhile, the two teenage boys that had been bullying the other ninjas were behind the double entrance doors, watching Squad 7 as they left.

"So those are the misfits that Kakashi and Guy have been going on about" the one with brown hair said.

"Yeah, and I guess they passed their first test. Honestly though, everyone should watch out for the pink haired girl. She almost caved my face in with that punch" the one with the black hair said as he rubbed the space between his eyes that had now turned red.

"Quit whining and change back" the brown haired boy said as he made a hand sign.

There was a puff of smoke and the two teenage boys transformed back into their adult selves, which didn't look all that different except the black haired boy now had a bandage across his nose and the other bandages on his cheeks and chin had now disappeared.

"Either way, it just makes these exams all the more interesting" the black haired man said.

"For us proctors maybe, but not so much for them" the brown haired man said with a smirk.

* * *

As Squad 7 walked on, the other 3 ninja watched them with interest.

"The Master of the Rinnegan and Sasuke of the Uchiha Clan, these exams will prove interesting indeed" the lavender eye'd boy said as he noticed the Uchiha Clan symbol on the back of Sasuke's shirt.

"Are you going to challenge either of them?" the girl asked.

"Hn" was the boy's only response as he walked forward, the girl following him also.

Rock Lee, however, stayed behind.

"Lee, what are you doing? We need to check in now" the girl said when she noticed that her green spandex-wearing teammate wasn't following them.

"I will catchup with you guys in a minute. You don't need to wait around, I just need to check something" Rock Lee said as turned and walked in the same direction that Squad 7 had gone.

"What's his deal" the girl asked.

"Who cares, lets just go. Lee can catch up with us later" Neji said as he walked on casually.

The girl shrugged her shoulders and followed close behind Neji.

* * *

Squad 7 was currently walking through one of the auditoriums as they made their way to room 301. The room was very spacious and it consisted of a balcony and a few pillars near the entrance to the next floor. As they walked on, they heard someone call out to them.

"Hey you, with the blonde hair, hold on" a voice said.

Squad 7 turned around and saw Rock Lee standing up on the balcony looking down at them as though they were below him, figuratively speaking of course.

'_Hey, it's him again_' Naruto thought as he stared up at the boy who had called him out.

'_Oh no, not him again! Why is this happening to me!_' Sakura thought to herself as she started to freakout.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked indifferently.

"Sorry, Sasuke Uchiha, but it is not you that I have business with" Rock Lee said. Instead he turned his attention to Naruto.

"You there, the one that supposedly has the Rinnegan kekkei genkai, I want to fight you, right here and right now" Rock Lee said with confidence.

"You actually want to fight me here and now?" Naruto asked incredulously

"Yes, I do. My name is Rock Lee" Rock Lee said as he introduced himself.

"You already told us what your name is" Sasuke snapped, a little pissed that Lee wanted to fight Naruto and not him.

"Sasuke Uchiha, I believe it was you who said that it was common courtesy to give your own name before asking someone else's" Rock Lee corrected.

"Yeah, so I did" Sasuke said, also little pissed at being corrected on something he'd said earlier.

"Now then, what is your name?" Rock Lee asked as he turned his attention back to the ninja with the blonde hair and face mask.

"It's Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki" Naruto said, all the more happy to introduce himself.

"Well then, Naruto Uzumaki, I challenge you. For a while now, I have been hearing talk of a blonde haired, blue eyed ninja that supposedly possess the legendary kekkei genkai known as the Rinnegan. This ninja has been called Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan and he wears a face mask that conceals three whisker marks on either of his cheeks and you seem to fit the description. I have heard of the Rinnegan before and it is said that it is more powerful than both the Sharingan and the Byakugan. I have heard of your amazing abilities as well as what you did to the Marauder Syndicate and it is said that your power is greater than even that of the Sannin. I want to see if it is true. Believe me, it is truly an honor to face you" Rock Lee explained.

"Also, Sakura, I am in love with you" Rock Lee said as he turned his gaze over to Sakura, causing the pink haired kunoichi to tense up.

At hearing Rock Lee's confession, Sakura started to scream hysterically and looked about ready to tear her hair out from the roots.

"AAAAAHHH! There's no way those eyebrows can be real! Their so bushy and your hair cut is terrible too! What a weirdo!" Sakura hollered.

"Hey, Sakura, I think you may be overreacting a little" Sasuke said nonchalantly.

"Easy for you to say, he's not interested in you!" Sakura exclaimed as she fixed her appearance, which had become disheveled when she had gone hysterical.

"So, you know about the power of the Rinnegan, yet you're still challenging me? You're not very bright are you?" Naruto questioned as he gazed up at the youthful boy standing above him on the balcony.

"Bring it on, and I'll show you what I can do! You see Naruto, out of all the Leaf Village's top Genin, I am one of the most powerful! Fight me and I will prove it to you. I also know that the only reason you were the dead last of your year was because you hid your strength for some reason, but feel free to let loose now and show me your real strength!" Rock Lee challenged.

'_Excellent, a match up against the real number one rookie! I will draw him out and get him to reveal his power. Then I will prove myself to you, Guy sensei!_' Rock Lee thought with enthusiasm.

"Naruto, this guy isn't kidding about being one of the strongest. He managed to stop my kick with just one arm despite the amount of chakra I put into it. You need to watch your back with this guy" Sasuke warned

"Better yet, he should watch his" Naruto said, smirking under his mask.

Channeling chakra into his legs, Naruto moved with lightning speed and seemed to teleport behind behind Rock Lee, floating behind him from the right. Naruto reared his arm back and almost nailed Lee in the back with a chakra charged fist. With a look of utter surprise, Lee moved out of the way in the nick of time, causing Naruto's fist to connect with the wooden balcony railing with a sickening impact. The short balcony wall and almost the entire middle part of the balcony shattered as chakra surged through it, literally tearing it apart and sending pieces of wood flying everywhere. Lee managed to land on the floor below and looked back up at Naruto in amazement, who now had his Rinnegan activated. Upon seeing this, Rock Lee could not contain the gasp that escaped his lips.

'_I don't believe it! It's the actual Rinnegan! The stories I've heard about a Genin with unimaginable power really are true! And his speed has no equal, he's capable of moving at the speed of light without even making a sound! I hate to say it, but I think this one might be out of my league_' Rock Lee said as Naruto continued to stare down at him with those legendary eyes.

"Hey bushy brow! I gladly accept your challenge!" Naruto yelled down.

After getting over her shock at seeing Naruto's strength and speed, Sakura looked over at the clock on the left wall and gasped out loud.

"Naruto, we don't have time for this! We need to be at room 301 to register by 3:00 or we'll have to wait until next year! We have less than half an hour" Sakura hollered up at her blonde teammate.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, this won't take long at all" Naruto said with confidence.

Rock Lee went on the defensive and took a fighting stance, ready to react to anything at a moments notice. If he was going to stand a chance against this guy, he was going to have to really stay on his feet and make split second decisions to stay one step ahead.

'_He's going to attack at any second. I'm sorry Guy sensei, I know it is forbidden, but I may have to use **that **jutsu if it comes down to it_' Rock Lee thought to himself.

Seeing that his opponent was ready, Naruto channeled chakra into his legs and moved with faster than light speed, stopping in front of Rock Lee in midair. Rock Lee threw up his arms in defense as Naruto reared his leg behind him while in midair and delivered a kick that launched Lee up into the air, Lee's guard being the only thing that saved him from a serious injury. Using his chakra enhanced speed, Naruto moved at the speed of light to Lee's position in the air.

'_He's too fast! I cannot keep up!_' Lee thought as Naruto kicked him back down to Earth. Lee used his hands to catch himself and moved out the way as Naruto came back down, his fist making a small crater where Lee's body was a second before.

Lee went on the offensive at that point and used his own amazing speed to move to Naruto's location. As Lee moved forward, he delivered a series of kicks, forcing Naruto back. Using the same move Naruto did at the beginning, Lee moved behind Naruto and and kicked him towards the wall under the balcony. However, Naruto did a series of backflips and caught himself as he slid across the floor before stopping.

'_Alright, this guy has a few moves himself. Now let's see if he can dodge this one_' Naruto thought to himself.

A Naruto shadow clone with Rinnegan eyes appeared behind Lee. However, Rock Lee was able to sense the clones presence and turned around to face his attacker. Before he could react, however, the clone punched Lee with a chakra charged fist that sent him flying back to Naruto. Naruto kicked Lee back to the clone and the two continued to hit Lee back and forth a few more times before the clone dispersed after punching Lee back again. Charing his leg with chakra, Naruto ran forward as Lee came back back to him and delivered a flying kick to Lee's back, sending the youthful boy bouncing across the smooth wood floor, leaving impressions as he went along before finally stopping.

'_It's just as I thought, his strength and speed are truly unmatched. I didn't even see him make the hand sign for a shadow clone as a matter of fact. He is even able to keep up with my taijutsu and deflect it with ease. Even my strongest kicks cannot break his defense. I will have to use my full power if I hope to come out victorious_' Lee thought as he steadily picked himself up and charged at Naruto.

As the battle between the two boys raged on, Sasuke and Sakura watched from the sidelines, amazed at the display of power between the two boys. Rock Lee's taijutsu skills were so advanced, that even Sasuke's Sharingan had trouble tracking his movements. Yet somehow, Naruto was able to block his attacks, he got hit a few times, but he managed to deflect most of them. Naruto matched Lee move for move. Whatever move Rock Lee threw at him, Naruto would would throw it back at him with twice as much power, pushing Lee to his limits. With both boys giving it their best, the battle was far from being one-sided.

'_It's unbelievable. Naruto's taijutsu has improved beyond even that of an expert level. It's amazing how he's able to keep up with this guy. If that were me instead of Naruto, I would probably be getting my ass kicked right now. I mean, I'm good...but...I'm nowhere near their level_' Sasuke admitted to himself as he watched, which began to really bother him.

'_This is incredible! Just when you think you have Naruto's strength all figured out, he pulls another ace out of his sleeve. He just keeps getting stronger everyday. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but...KICK HIS ASS NARUTO, CHA!_' Sakura hollered in her head, silently cheering Naruto on.

As Rock Lee blocked one of Naruto's kicks, he threw a series of punches and elbow strikes, most of which Naruto managed to deflect. As Lee moved in for another attack, Naruto used the Rinnegan's power of gravity manipulation and Lee was pushed away by and unseen force just as his fist was about to connect with Naruto's face. Lee landed on his feet and skidded to a stop.

'_What jutsu was that! It felt as though he pushed me away using only his mind! Hmm, it must be one of the Rinnegan's abilities. Somehow, he can control the gravity around him_' Rock Lee thought to himself as he analyzed his opponent.

In a flash, Naruto rushed towards him, and with his chakra enhanced speed, hit Lee from every direction. In total, Naruto hit Lee 30 good times in only 5 seconds. Then the blond delivered a roundhouse kick to Lee's back to top if off, sending the boy skidding across the floor again. After getting over his shock at the speed of Naruto's attacks, Lee rushed at Naruto with his own impressive speed. Just as Lee's punch was about to connect, Naruto used the Rinnegan's ability to manipulate gravity and Lee was violently thrown back again by a powerful invisible force. Lee did a number of back flips as he was thrown back and managed to catch himself.

Suddenly, the same force that pushed Lee away pulled Lee back towards Naruto, and the next thing Lee knew, Naruto had him by the throat. As Lee gasped for air, Naruto chokeslammed Lee onto the floor and stood over him victoriously.

"Give it up bushy brow, you're done. You gave it your best, but your best just wasn't good enough" Naruto teased, sure of his victory.

'_Forgive me Guy sensei, but I have no other choice. I'm afraid I must use **that **technique_' Lee said to himself.

As Naruto stood over him, Lee used his impressive speed to hop up off the floor and move behind Naruto. As Naruto whipped around and threw up his hands to guard, Lee launched Naruto into the air with one powerful kick, breaking through the blonde's guard. As Naruto sailed through air, Lee used his speed and seemed to teleport behind Naruto's back in midair.

"The Dancing Leaf Shadow huh?" Naruto said as he casually looked over his shoulder at Lee.

"Good eye. Now to settle this bout once and for all!" Lee said as the bandages around one of his arms began to unwrap.

"Rinnegan Master, you are finished! Now you will see that enough hard work can surpass natural talent!" Lee added as the bandages unwrapped some more, finally becoming long enough to wrap around Naruto's midsection.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a pinwheel flew through the air and pinned the long loose piece of bandage to the wall, catching everyone by surprise.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" a loud voice said from across the room.

Using his amazing agility, Lee backflipped while in the air and landed smoothly on the floor while Naruto summoned a couple of shadow clones that caught him and then dispersed. Squad 7 then turned their heads in the direction where the voice had come from and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads at what they saw.

**Please review and tell me what you think.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 21**

As Squad 7 turned their heads to see where the loud, angry sounding voice had come from, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads at what they saw. Anyone else in their position would've had the exact same reaction. For instead of seeing a person, as they had expected, they instead came face to face with a....tortoise. Yes, that's right, a **tortoise**. To be more specific, it was a ninja tortoise because it wore a Leaf Village head band around it's neck. It was reddish in color and it spoke with a deep angry sounding voice.

While Squad 7 stood gaping at the talking tortoise, Lee rushed over and bowed down one knee as the tortoise glared angrily at him. Even though the tortoise barely came up to Lee's knee, it seemed like it was towering over Lee with the glare it was giving him.

"You....you were watching us the whole time?" Lee asked shakily, knowing that he was caught.

"Of course! That last jutsu is forbidden, you know that! Not only that, what were you doing fighting the boy with the Rinnegan? You're good, but you're still nowhere near his level!" the tortoise shouted angrily.

As the two spoke with each other, Squad 7 continued to stand on the sidelines trying to piece together exactly what was going on here.

'_He's talking to a turtle and the turtle is actually talking back. Okay, now I've seen everything._' Naruto thought to himself as he deactivated his Rinnegan.

'_I don't believe this. That boy is actually talking to a turtle that can actually talk back! No wonder the kid is such a weirdo!_' Sakura thought to herself as she watched Lee be chewed out by his tortoise sensei.

'_Okay, that's obviously something you don't see everyday. Although, if Pakkun can talk, despite him being dog, then this shouldn't seem all that surprising. Yet, somehow, it still is_' Sasuke said to himself. He was the only squad member that did not show his surprise on the outside.

"I am sorry. I really did not mean to" Lee apologized.

'_Okay, now he's apologizing to the turtle. Wait a second....could that turtle actually be his sensei? With the way he's acting, that seems to be the case here_' Naruto thought to himself as he analyzed the situation.

As Lee was still bowed down on one knee, he dared to look up and he instantly wished he hadn't. Lee met the turtle's intense gaze and his nervousness increased times two. The nervous boy instantly stood up and took a few steps back, sweating like crazy.

"I was not planning to use a forbidden jutsu. It's just, my opponent was really strong and it was my last option and I had no other choice. You understand, right?" Lee pleaded nervously while sweating profusely.

'_That turtle has to be his sensei. This proves it for sure_' Naruto decided to himself as he rushed over to his teammates.

"Hey guys, do either of you think it's possible for a turtle to be a sensei too? Because that's the vibe I'm getting here" Naruto asked as he reached them.

"How would we know if turtles can be sensei's too! Honestly Naruto, you're supposed to be a genius here" Sakura said as she scolded Naruto for asking such a ridiculous question.

Sakura's scolding of Naruto was cut short as the tortoise bellowed in anger.

"YOU'RE A DISGRACE! You think you'll get away with a bunch of lame excuses like that? A shinobi never reveals his techniques unless it's absolutely necessary! It's such a basic rule that you should know it by now! Besides, YOU HAD NO BUSINESS CHALLENGING THE RINNEGAN MASTER IN THE FIRST PLACE!" the tortoise screamed in fury, causing Lee to cringe.

"Please, forgive me sir. I was out of line." Lee apologized.

'_Wow, I can't believe I actually took this guy seriously_' Naruto said as he watched the scene unfold.

"Are you prepared to face the consequences for you're actions?" the tortoise demanded.

"I....yes sir" Lee said in shame.

"Alright then. Please come out, Guy sensei!" the tortoise said.

Suddenly, there was a large puff of smoke that came from atop the tortoise's shell. It didn't take long for the smoke to clear, and there atop the tortoise's shell, was what looked like an older version of Rock Lee. The man had the same bowl cut hairstyle as Lee and the same bushy eyebrows, except his were much thicker. He wore the same Jonin uniform as Kakashi except his undershirt was green instead of navy blue. Also, like Rock Lee, the man wore his head band around his waist like a belt. The man, identified as Guy sensei, stood atop the tortoise's shell striking a very ridiculous pose.

"HEEEEEYY, what's shakin! How you doin everybody! Life treatin you good?" Guy said in his loud booming voice.

The members of Squad 7, including Sasuke this time, let out cries of shock and just stood their gaping.

'_What the hell! That guy has the biggest eyebrows yet! In fact, their almost alive for crying out loud!_' Naruto yelled to himself as he continued to gape at Guy's appearance.

"Hey Lee" Guy said from from his position atop the tortoise's shell, his shiny white teeth giving off a sparkle.

'_This is just too weird_' Sakura thought as Guy greeted Lee.

"So that's where Lee gets it from. The same bowl haircut and even bushier eyebrows!" Naruto exclaimed to his teammates.

Hearing Squad 7's comments on Guy sensei, Lee whipped around and glared angrily.

"Hey! Do not insult Guy sensei! He is one of the greatest men in the entire world!" Lee shouted while shaking his fist angrily at Squad 7.

"Well excuse me for not noticing his greatness! I was too busy watching him crawl out from under a turtle!" Naruto hollered back.

"Guy sensei does not crawl either!" Lee replied just as loudly.

"Give it a rest Lee" Guy said, making a shooing motion with his hand.

Lee begrudgedly stopped his arguing with Naruto and turned around to face guy, hanging his head slightly.

"Yes sir" Lee said exasperatedly.

"Now for your punishment!" Guy said angrily as he made a tight fist.

Without any hesitation whatsoever, Guy reared his fist back and punched Lee square in the face, sending the youthful boy flying back a few feet and landing on the ground with a loud thud. Squad 7 stood on the sidelines and gaped openly in shock, even Sasuke.

Guy then walked over to Lee's position casually and squatted down to the boy's level just as Lee picked himself up off the floor with a groan.

"I'm sorry Lee, but it's for your own good" Guy said softly.

"S-S-S-Sensei" Lee said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Suddenly, the background changed into a beautiful sunset scene on the beach. The waves were short and choppy as they crashed against the shore and there was even a nice cool breeze that gently blew the sand across the ground. Of course, this was all a figment of both Lee's and Guy's imagination.

"Oh Lee" Guy said as tears streamed down his face.

"(sniffle) Oh sensei...I am...so sorry" Lee apologized, his voice cracking with emotion as he cried also.

"Don't worry, it's over. (sniffle) You don't have to say anymore" Guy said.

Without any further encouragement, Lee ran forward and threw his arms around Guy, catching the man in a tight hug. Together, both eccentric youths cried as though they had no audience watching them. Hell, even the tortoise cried! I mean seriously, what the fuck! As if on cue, a giant wave crashed against the shore in the background.

'_To think I actually took this guy seriously....man, I feel so ashamed_' Sasuke thought to himself as he watched the very weird scene in front of him.

"Now it's official, their insane" Sakura said, exasperated.

"Yeah, but you've gotta admit, it's kind of cute how their all huggy and stuff" Naruto said appreciatively.

"Naruto, you can't be serious! I mean look at them, their both nuts!" Sakura exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Lee and Guy had completely forgotten about Squad 7 and continued to cry together for a little longer before drying their tears and standing back up.

"Don't worry about it Lee, you're just caught in the middle. You're too old to be boy, but not yet old enough to be called a man" Guy said as he placed his hand on Lee's soldier.

"(sniffle) You're so good to me, Guy sensei" Lee said with teary eyes.

"That's the spirit Lee. Now take off, give me 100 laps around the practice field. Show me watcha got! Run into the sunset and suffer!" Guy said as he pointed in the direction of the training field.

"Right, let us go Guy sensei" Lee agreed as he began to lead the way.

"Yo, wait a minute, we still aren't finished here! The Chunin Exams are about to start soon, so you guys don't have time to screw around!" Naruto protested.

Guy turned around and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head while giving a goofy smile.

"Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot about that" Guy said, realizing Naruto's point. He then turned back to Lee and cleared his throat.

"Lee, you've not only broken the rules by fighting, but now you have also disrupted the Chunin Exams. I think that's earned a slightly more severe punishment, don't you think?" Guy asked.

"Yes sir" Lee said as he gave a salute.

"Alright then, make it 500 laps! How does that sound?" Guy asked again.

"Outstanding sir" Lee agreed with a little eagerness.

"See Naruto, I told those two were nuts" Sakura said, wondering why someone would actually be eager to accept a punishment as harsh as 500 laps around the training grounds.

"Maybe so, but nevermind them. What's the deal with that turtle anyway?" Naruto said while pointing at said animal.

"Naruto, would you forget about the turtle for a second!" Sakura hollered.

The commotion caused Guy to look up and actually take notice of Squad 7's presence. The one that really got his attention, however, was Naruto. The boy resembled Kakashi because of the Jonin vest and the face mask, but also resembled the 4th Hokage with the yellow hair and deep blue eyes.

'_Hmm, so that must be Kakashi's squad. I think I should go check them out_' Guy decided to himself.

After arguing with Naruto, Sakura got the feeling of being watched and looked over, only to spot Guy looking in their direction.

"AHH, NO! He's looking at us!" Sakura exclaimed while trying to shield her face.

"Tell me, how is Kakashi sensei?" Guy asked, ignoring Sakura.

"Why, do you know him?" Sasuke asked, finally speaking up.

"Do I know Kakashi? Heh heh, well, people say that he and I are eternal rivals" Guy said coolly.

"What! There's just no way Kakashi could know you!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed in unison.

"How dare you! If Guy sensei says that it is true, then it must be so!" Lee hollered back, shaking his first angrily.

"Let it slide Lee. A ninja's actions always speak louder than words" Guy said, giving his signature smile.

As Guy stood beside Lee, Sasuke observed him closely. Guy did not appear to be the strong type. In fact, he seemed a little aloof. However, if he could go toe-to-toe with a genius like Kakashi Hatake, then he must be pretty good. As if reading Sasuke's thoughts, Guy disappeared right before Sasuke's eyes with impressive speed, almost matching that of Naruto! A second later, Guy reappeared behind a startled Squad 7 in a puff of smoke.

"In fact, my record is 50 wins and 49 losses, one better than his" Guy said with pride as he reappeared.

'_What, there's no way! This guy's speed is incredible, even faster than both Lee and Kakashi! Any faster and he'd be right up there with Naruto_' Sasuke thought to himself as he whipped around.

"That's impossible! How did you beat Kakashi sensei!" Sakura asked as she turned around, also shocked by Guy's speed.

"The fact is, I'm stronger than Kakashi, and faster too." Guy said as he gave off another sparkling smile.

"Now do you see? Guy sensei is the best there is! Nobody is better, and I mean nobody!" Lee said happily.

"Actually, I wouldn't necessarily say that" a voice said from behind Guy.

Guy whipped around and stared face-to-face with Naruto, who had his arms crossed over his chest casually. Subconsciously, Guy's eyes widened in surprise.

'_Impressive, his speed is absolutely remarkable. So far, he's the only person I've met that is actually faster than me. In fact, I haven't seen speed like that since the 4th Hokage! I never even saw him move! Not only that, he even hid his chakra signature so I wouldn't sense him. There's no telling how long he's been behind me. Hmm, even I would think twice before challenging him. In fact, he may even be smarter than Kakashi, let alone stronger and faster. I can't believe Lee actually challenged him. I mean, I understand that Lee wanted to test his strength, but he's nowhere near this boy's level yet. But then, how did Lee keep up with him? Unless...this boy only used a fraction of his strength, that must be it! If he wanted to, this boy could've taken Lee down before the fight even started with ease, no doubt about it. I can't even begin imagine what he would be like at full power_' Guy thought to himself, amazed at how Kakashi had managed to teach such a genius.

'_Amazing, his speed is even greater than that of Guy sensei's! It was truly an honor to face such a skilled shinobi' _Rock Lee thought in admiration, astonished that somebody was actually faster than his Guy sensei.

"I see, you're pretty fast yourself there young one. What's you're name?" Guy asked in appreciation of this kid's strength.

"Naruto Uzumaki sir" Naruto said happily before walking back around to stand beside Sakura.

"Well Naruto, it's nice to meet you and your squad. I deeply apologize for all the trouble Lee caused you. Look into my eyes and accept my sincere apology. Also, notice my handsome manly features." Guy said as he flashed a thumbs up and his signature smile once again.

As Naruto and Sakura introduced themselves and chatted with Guy, Sasuke simply stood there and went back to observing Guy. Even though he had trained for this occasion, Sasuke still felt as though he were weak. Here he was, thinking he was above the other ninja in the exams, but then Lee and Guy show up and blow him out the water! Not only that, they had asked for Naruto's name instead of his. Don't get Sasuke wrong, the raven loved Naruto with all his heart, but he still couldn't help but feel a little....jealous.

'_This guy claims he's better than Kakashi, could that be true? Dammit, I don't think he's making this up, not with the kind of speed he has. It just doesn't make any sense. I trained my ass off for this, but if the other ninja are anything like these two, then I might be in over my head on this one. I'm really gonna have to push myself past my limit in the worst case scenario.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he clenched his fists.

Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Naruto's voice.

"And this is my boyfriend, Sasuke. He's a little quiet though" Naruto said as he put his arm around Sasuke's waist affectionately, causing Sasuke's slight jealousy to disappear instantly. No matter what, Sasuke just couldn't get mad at Naruto, or stay mad at Naruto for very long. In fact, he felt ashamed that he had been a little jealous of him.

"Boyfriend? I see, this is quite an interesting bunch Kakashi has got here. I wish all three of you the best of luck in the Chunin Exams! May your flame of youth burn bright with pride!" Guy said as he flashed a thumbs up.

"Lee, you should accompany these fine, young ninja to the classroom, right now." Guy added, while throwing a kunai at the pinwheel without looking.

The kunai hit the pinwheel with deadly accuracy and the pinwheel, along with the bandage that it had pinned to the wall, dropped to the ground. Lee quickly began to gather the bandages, hoping nobody would notice his hands. However, Naruto managed to catch a quick glimpse of them before Lee wrapped them up. A quick glimpse was all he needed. Rock Lee's hands were covered all over in scars and bruises. They were almost painful to look at.

'_His hands, their so damaged. This guy must have really done some serious training' _Naruto thought to himself, the image of Lee's battered hands still fresh in his mind.

"Remember everyone, do your best! Lee, farewell!" Guy said as while giving a salute.

"Yes sir!" Lee said enthusiastically as Guy disappeared in a puff of smoke, along with the tortoise.

With the tortoise and his sensei gone, Lee turned his attention back to Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, I have not been totally honest with you" Rock Lee said as the blonde turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"I said I wanted to test my skills, and that is true enough, but you're not the only one I wanted to test them against. You see, I lied to you when we were fighting before. I told you that I was the best Genin here, but there is another genius here that you should be concerned about and it is somebody on my own team. Forgive me, but I came here to defeat him. I'm afraid you were only practice. However, I now realize that you were only using a fraction of your strength and I cannot begin to imagine your full power. Because of that, you are a serious threat and you are now my team's target. Naruto Uzumaki, I will crush you!" Lee said with confidence.

Naruto tensed at hearing this, but not out of nervousness, but out of happiness! Already, ninja were taking him seriously and were making their claims to fight him. Finally, he was being recognized as a true competitor. If this genius on Lee's team wanted a piece of him, then he'd give him the whole thing and make him choke with a mouthful.

Sasuke tensed also, but for a different reason. He would let Naruto fight his own battles, considering this was what the exams were about, but he wouldn't let someone _crush _Naruto, no way in hell. Whoever this genius was wouldn't have just Naruto to worry about. If this guy permanently injured Naruto in some way, Sasuke was going to tear him apart. They would need to call the entire ANBU Squad to pull him away and restrain him.

"There you have it, consider yourself warned." Lee said as he effortlessly jumped back up onto the partly destroyed balcony and ran off to find his team.

"I see, so that guy is in a class of his own too. You guys saw his hands didn't you? I bet bushy brows has trained everyday of his life, day in and day out until he drops. Just my kind of of opponent" Naruto said confidently.

"So you're not worried or anything?" Sasuke asked

"Hell no. In fact, I already know who bushy brows was talking about. I believe his name is...Neji Hyuga, from the Hyuga Clan. Either way, bring him on. I'll show him and everyone else that I'm not called the Master of the Rinnegan for nothing. Besides, after seeing bushy brows skills, I can't wait to see what the others have got in store for us. These exams just keep getting more and more interesting by the second. I know you guys have a few doubts, but we can do this! Are you guys ready?" Naruto asked, hyper with energy.

"Ready when you are, dobe" Sasuke said with renewed confidence, giving off his signature smirk. Naruto's confidence had reminded him that he still needed to show these guys why the Uchiha Clan was to be feared and respected. Even if he did go against someone on Lee's level, he 'd pull out all the stops and give it everything he had.

"I'm in too" Sakura said.

"Alright then! Squad 7, let's move out!" Naruto said as he led the way to room 301, radiating confidence with each step.

* * *

As Squad 7 walked down the hallway to room 301, they noticed that the hallways were completely deserted. In fact, Squad 7 appeared to be the only living souls in the entire academy! What really got them, however, was the quietness. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop even if it were all the way down the hall. The only sound was the sound of Squad 7's footsteps as they walked on, which seemed to echo throughout the entire academy.

'_It's so quiet here. All the other teams must already be in 301. That's kind of odd though, I didn't think we were this late._' Sakura thought as she walked alongside Naruto and Sasuke.

Squad 7 turned another corner and walked for a little long until they were at the doors of room 301, the room located at the very end of the hallway. However, Squad 7 stopped in surprise, as none other than Kakashi Hatake was standing directly in front of the doors, as though blocking their entrance. Kakashi stood calmly with his hands in his pockets, not reading his book this time. It was as though he already knew they would all show up, rather than just Naruto and Sasuke.

"Glad you came Sakura, both for your sake and the others." Kakashi sensei said calmly.

"Huh?" Naruto questioned.

"Now, all three of you can now formerly register for the Chunin Exams." Kakashi continued

"Wait, what do you mean?" Sakura asked, not understanding what Kakashi meant. Why was it so important that **she** had decided to take the exams anyway?

"You see, only groups of 3 can apply for, and take, the exams. That's the way it's always been." Kakashi explained.

"But sensei, you said that the decision to take the exams was up to the individual" Sakura pointed out.

"That's right, I did." Kakashi agreed

"So then...was that a lie" Sakura asked.

"Well, sort of. It is an individual decision, but it affects all of you. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want Naruto and Sasuke to pressure you. At the same time, I didn't want you to feel obliged to participate because any feelings you may have for Sasuke and Naruto. I wanted you to come to a decision of your own free will." Kakashi further explained

"Wait, so you're saying that if Naruto and Sasuke had shown up without me, then...." Sakura let her voice trail off as she put the pieces together.

"Yep, it would've been the end of the line. If you hadn't of come along, I could not have let Naruto and Sasuke in." Kakashi finished. "But that's besides the point. The point is, you're all here and for the right reasons. Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke, I'm very proud of you. I couldn't ask for a better squad. Each of you are gifted shinobi and I know you'll do your best. So with that being said, good luck. And remember, hesitation leads to disaster. These guys won't go easy on you, so expect the worst"

With that, Kakashi moved out of the way, giving Squad 7 the invitation to walk on through. As Sakura and Sasuke walked through the door, Naruto turned back to face Kakashi.

"We won't let you down sensei, I promise" Naruto said as he turned and walked through the door to follow his teammates.

"Show them what you're made of Naruto" Kakashi said, smiling under his mask.

* * *

As Squad 7 walked through the door, all the confidence and reassurance that Kakashi sensei had given them seemed to fly right out the window, because nothing could prepare them for what they were met with on the other side. As soon as Squad 7 walked through the door, they were met with a roomful of angry looking shinobi. Not just Leaf shinobi either, ninja from practically every village from every nation was there, giving Squad 7 their most hateful glares. The room was so full of ninja, that at least half of them were standing up since there were not nearly enough chairs to go around. Some even had to share a seat with someone else. Others were sitting on the tables or leaning against the wall. Either way, all eyes were now on Squad 7, who were being cooked alive by the pressure and intense glares. As if that wasn't bad enough, the room was deathly quiet. The only sound was the clock ticking on the wall.

"Well, this is....somewhat surprising" Naruto said calmly. Honestly, Naruto had no reason to be nervous. After all, he was stronger than every ninja in the room and if glares was all they had, then this would be too easy. Plus, one glare from the Rinnegan could make even grown men piss on themselves, so these guys were nothing.

"Man, I had no idea there would be so much competition. If looking scary is one of the tests, then they've got me beat by a long shot" Sakura said nervously as she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. She couldn't take the stares. They were so intense, that Sakura had to look down at the floor and focus on her pink-colored toenails instead.

Sasuke displayed the same sort of attitude as Naruto and simply glared back with his famous Uchiha glare, showing the other shinobi that he would not back down. Some shinobi nodded in approval and turned around while others continued to glare. Apparently they were sizing up anyone who came through the door in order to see how tough they were.

"Naruto is that you?" a familiar voice asked.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura turned in the direction where the voice had come from and saw Ino jogging up to them.

"Oh my God, it is you! I've missed you so much! How are you!" Ino asked enthusiastically as she reached them and threw her arms around Naruto. It had had been a month and a half since she had last seen Naruto and she had missed him like crazy. Like Sakura, Ino had also grown fond of Naruto since she really had no reason to be mean to him in the first place. Now, Naruto had given her a second chance and Ino wasn't about to blow it this time.

"Hey Ino, good to see you again too." Naruto said as he returned Ino's hug and spun around with her in his arms before setting her back down on her feet. The action made Ino giggle and blush slightly. Since when had Naruto gotten so strong?

Sasuke watched the scene and felt a slight pang of jealousy when he saw Naruto wrap his arms around Ino. However, he quickly calmed down by reminding himself that it was just a friendly hug and nothing more. After all, they had not seen each other in a while and Ino had grown closer to Naruto during their time away. So of course they'd be happy to see each other.

"I like your new outfit Naruto-kun. It actually fits you." Ino complimented. She couldn't help but realize that Naruto looked very handsome, even if half his his face was covered by a face mask and it kind of made him look like Kakashi.

After flattering Naruto, Ino then noticed Sasuke standing off to the side a little.

"Sasuke-kun! Wow, look at you! You look so...mysterious, and you've gotten a little taller too." Ino commented as she pulled Sasuke into a hug, although she had to stand on her tiptoes.

"Hn" Sasuke replied. Sasuke still didn't really like Ino much more than he liked Sakura, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with the blonde haired kunoichi right now. He was more focused on the other ninja that he badly wanted to beat into the ground.

"A typical Sasuke-answer I suppose" Ino said after sighing.

"Hey porky, get away from Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun! They don't want you smothering them!" Sakura said angrily while making a fist. It had already put her on edge when Ino threw herself onto Naruto. Being fond of the blonde also, Sakura didn't like it when another female, namely Ino, flirted with him. And then Ino had the nerve to flirt with Sasuke, whom she still had a few feelings for, and then it was a done deal.

"Miss forehead, they let you in? Hmm, still got those frown lines on your billboard brow I see" Ino shot back.

"You keep my forehead out of this!" Sakura replied angrily, a vein popping out above her eyebrow.

Ino replied by sticking her tongue out.

"Oh great, it's you guys. I knew this would be a drag, but I didn't think it would be this lame" Shikamaru said lazily as he and Choji walked over. Like always, Choji was munching on a bag of chips.

"Great, so even the three stooges are here" Naruto said teasingly, referring to Squad 10.

"Hey, you know what pipsqueak...you know what, forget. You're just a waste of time anyway" Shikamaru said as he sighed.

'_That Shikamaru, he hasn't changed at all._' Naruto said to himself, exasperated.

Shikamaru Nara, from the Nara Clan, is known throughout the ninja academy as the #1 complainer, as he is very lazy and often complains that everything is "such a drag". However, like Naruto, it was revealed awhile back that Shikamaru is actually beyond a genius. Before entering the ninja academy, students had to first take an I.Q. test, as you had to be above a certain I.Q. level in order to get in, at least a slightly superior level was required. However, the test had been cleverly disguised as a game so as to throw everyone off about it's purpose. The test revealed that both Naruto's and Shikamaru's I.Q.s were over 200, however, the Third Hokage decided to hide Naruto's beyond genius I.Q. so the other villagers would not feel threatened and Naruto was instructed to show as little of his intelligence as possible. So that explained his low grades and him being the dead last. Now, I know what you're thinking: if Shikamaru is so smart, then why were his grades almost as low as Naruto's? Unlike Naruto, Shikamaru didn't have to hide his intelligence, so what's his excuse? Well, it's simple: Shikamaru is simply lazy. In fact, he felt that simply putting pencil to paper required too much energy and he always fell asleep in class, even during tests. So, go figure. I guess you could call him a lazy genius.

Shikamaru has fairly long jet black hair tied in a spiky ponytail, narrow brown eyes, and wears ring earrings. The rest of his attire is also rather plain, wearing a fishnet undershirt and a short jacket with his forehead protector worn around his left arm and gray pants. Also, he always has a bored or irritated expression.

Next up was Choji Akimichi, from the Akimichi Clan, although Aki**munchi **is more like it. In fact, Choji is considered to be a glutton because the kid **never** stops eating, ever. All Choji ever even thinks about is food and what his next meal will be. Some have even suggested that Choji's stomach is literally a bottomless pit with no end, even his sensei, Asuma, thinks so. It's obvious that the boy has a weight problem because of how much he eats, but Choji doesn't seem to see it that way. Instead, Choji says that he is just big boned as he has been sort of overweight since he was a child. In fact, the word "fat" is a taboo word around Choji. If someone calls Choji fat, he'll be come pissed, and when that happens, he becomes an unstoppable machine that won't stop until whatever made him mad has been pulverized. One kid made the mistake of calling Choji a fatass and Choji ended up cratering the poor guy into the ground. Literally, the crater is still there!

Choji has brown hair, swirl marks on his cheeks, and like the rest of his clan, he has a much rounder physique than most other people. Choji wears grey shorts, a rather large white scarf, a short-sleeved green jacket over a white shirt with his clan's emblem on it, ring earrings, and his legs and forearms are wrapped in bandages. His Leaf forehead protector is also worn on a bandanna around his head.

"Well well, what do you know? It looks like the gang's all back together" said Kiba Inuzuka as he and the rest of Squad 8 walked over.

"Oh, h-h-hey N-Naruto-kun" Hinata Hyuga stuttered shyly.

The third member, Shino Aburame, just stood their and didn't say anything like he always did.

Kiba Inuzuka, from the Inuzuka Clan, was the loudest and most reckless member of the nine rookie Genin, even more so than Naruto. Kiba was considered to be a loud mouth and believed in attacking first and asking questions later. Kiba is also often short-tempered and impulsive (in stark contrast to his teammates Shino and Hinata), and can be prone to making mistakes when he becomes agitated in battle. The fact that he enjoys combat, as well as a habit of showing a joyful smile when facing a particularly strong opponent, indicates that he is willing to risk his life for a mission, and is rather bloodthirsty. Kiba is also **always **seen with his small white dog, Akamaru. The two go everywhere together and if one is seen, the other isn't too far behind. The two have known each other since they were little and the two have a much deeper bond than simply that of pet and master. Since the Inuzuka Clan specializes in the use of canines, Kiba and Akamaru make the perfect pair. He deeply cares for Akamaru, and is willing to do whatever is necessary to protect him. Currently, Akamaru was laying ontop of Kiba's head.

Kiba, while clearly human, has several physical traits more akin to animals. Like the rest of his clan, he has messy brown hair, sharp black eyes with vertical slit-like pupils, pronounced canine teeth, and nails that he can change into claws. He also has the distinct red fang markings of the Inuzuka clan on his cheeks. Kiba's attire consists of dark greyish-brown pants and a grey hooded coat with a blue forehead protector and blue sandals.

Hinata Hyuga, heiress of the famous Hyuga Clan, is the second most quiet and timid member of Squad 7, second to Shino. In fact, Hinata was so quiet during class at the Ninja Academy, that people would forget that she was even there! Hinata had a very quiet voice and hardly ever spoke out or voiced her own opinions. Instead, she usually went with the flow and did whatever everyone else was doing. Originally, she'd had a crush on Naruto and was the only girl who wasn't interested in Sasuke. Besides stuttering, blushing, and becoming nervous when ever Naruto looked at her or was around, Hinata would also faint whenever Naruto even came near her! She was the first person to recognize Naruto's true strength, but was too shy to approach him. So when she found out that Naruto had made Sasuke his boyfriend, she was heartbroken because she had waited too late. But when she saw how happy Sasuke made Naruto, she got over it and realized that Naruto's happiness was all that mattered to her. So if Naruto was happy, then she would move on and be happy too. Strangely enough, despite being a genius, Naruto was never aware of Hinata's feelings nor was he able to pickup on the signals. Currently, her and Kiba were getting closer, so it was only a matter of time before the two finally started going out.

Also, despite being the next in line to run her clan, Hinata is actually the outcast of the Hyuga Clan. Because of her shyness and lack of self confidence, her father, Hiashi Hyuga, who was also a clan elder, deemed her as a failure and instead focused on Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi Hyuga. In fact, Hiashi himself told Hinata that he did not care what happened to her when she became assigned to Squad 8 for he had no use for a weak heir. Instead, he decided to train Hanabi to be the next successor since she was the strongest of the two and showed great promise.

Hinata has dark blue hair in a hime-cut style, with chin-length strands framing each side of her face, and fair skin and is usually seen with a timid and shy expression. Also, she has the same strange eyes as Neji Hyuga, lavender iris but no visible pupil, giving off the false impression that she is blind. Naruto noticed this and began to wonder if there was some kind relation between her and Neji. Hinata wears a pale hooded jacket that had a fire symbol on the upper right and left sleeves, and navy blue pants. Since she became a Genin, she has worn her Konoha forehead protector around her neck.

Last, but certainly not least, is Shino Aburame, from the Aburame Clan. Without a doubt, Shino is the quietest shinobi in the Ninja Academy. Because he is so quite and mysterious, Shino is able to slip into and out of a crowd of people and then slip away without anyone noticing. Shino sort of has a dark disposition and always appears to watch people from a distance, which creeps people out, even Sasuke. He has a bad habit of hovering behind people and they usually don't notice until they turn around. He is known as being a very solitary person and he rarely ever smiles or shows any kind of emotion at all. Also, he is rather intimidating and is known to hold grudges. Since his family specializes in the use of bugs, Shino has a very deep obsession with the insect kingdom. In fact, Shino is practically a bug encyclopedia, he knows everything there is to know about insects and he even uses bugs as part of his jutsu and fighting style.

Shino has dark bushy brown hair, pale skin, and was the tallest ninja of his graduating class. Shino is regularly seen sporting the same style as the rest of his clan, consisting of dark sunglasses and a high upturned seagreen collar jacket. The biggest mystery surrounding Shino is his eyes. In fact, nobody has ever seen Shino's eyes and it is hinted that he never takes his glasses off, even at home. His family has seen his eyes numerous times, but they are unwilling to tell what his eyes look like or even what color they are.

"You guys too huh? Man, everyone's here for this stupid thing" Shikamaru said lazily.

"Yep, here we all are. The Rookie 9" Kiba said while chuckling. "Heh, This is going to be fun, at least for those of us good enough to make the cut, right Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked over at him for moment before chuckling softly.

"Kiba, be careful or you might get overconfident" Sasuke warned coolly while giving off his signature smirk.

"Yeah, well you just wait. We're going to blow you guys away. After all, we've been training like crazy" Kiba said arrogantly.

"What do you think we've been doing, sitting around picking daises? You don't know what training means!" Naruto shot back.

"You're one to talk, dead last. What training could you have possibly done? No wait, let me guess, you've been practicing hiding under a rock" Kiba teased

"Shut up! You just wait and see Kiba! I'll show what I can really do!" Naruto said heatedly.

"Uh, don't mind Kiba. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it." Hinata said timidly, and then blushed when Naruto looked at her.

Kiba just looked at her and rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Choji was still eating his bag of chips as he gazed at Akamaru ontop of Kiba's head.

'_Akamaru is looking plumper, (licks lips) juicier._' Choji thought hungrily as he took a few steps toward Kiba and Akamaru.

Just as Choji was about to take another step, Shino stepped in the way, blocking Choji from his next meal.

"What do you want?" Choji asked icily.

Shino didn't answer and instead looked down at a bug crawling on the floor.

"I thought you hadn't seen it and I didn't want you stepping on it" Shino answered calmly.

"Why? Are saving it for lunch or something?" Choji asked teasingly.

Before anyone could say anything further, they were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

"Hey, you guys. You might wanna try keeping it down a little. I mean, no offense, but you're the nine rookies right? Fresh out of the academy and wet behind the ears, am I right?" a strange boy said as he came over. As a response, all he got were glares.

The boy had black eyes with grey hair kept in a ponytail and wore circular glasses. He also wore a purple shirt with a white undershirt and a white sash around his waist on an angle. He had purple pants and a shuriken holster on his right leg.

"Listen, I wouldn't go making a spectacle of yourselves, so just cool it a little. I mean, this isn't a class field trip or anything" the boy continued.

"Well nobody was talking to you. And furthermore, who are you anyway?" Ino asked nastily.

"I'm glad you asked. The name is Kabuto, Kabuto Yakushi." the boy identified as Kabuto said matter-of-factly. "But honestly though, look around you; I believe you've made quite the impression"

Squad 7 and the other rookies looked around as the boy said, and sure enough, all the other ninja were glaring at them again. This time, their glares were just as intense as before. Some of them had their arms crossed over their chests and were snickering at the uncomfortableness they were causing the rookies. Others just looked downright pissed the fuck off.

"See those guys over there by the wall on the right? Those are Rain ninja, very touchy competitors. These exams make everyone tense, and believe me, you don't wanna rub them the wrong way right now"

Squad 7, 8, and 10 looked over to the wall on the right, and sure enough, stood a group of three intimidating looking Rain ninja. Each one wore a seaweed green cloak and looked about ready to tear somebody's head off. They were giving the rookies some of the most intense glares out of everyone else. They were bad news and they were going to let these amateurs know it.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect you guys to know how things work. I mean, you're just rookies after all. In fact, you remind me of myself awhile back when I took these exams" Kabuto said, trying to ease some of the tension a little bit.

"Don't wanna rub them the wrong way huh? Well I've got something for them and everyone else in this room" Naruto said as he stepped forward a few steps so that he stood in the middle of the Rookie 9.

Concentrating chakra into his eyes, Naruto activated his Rinnegan proudly, earning gasps of surprise from Squad 8, 10, Kabuto, the other ninja, and the Rain ninja as the stared at the legendary ocular kekkei genkai that they thought had only been a myth. As if that wasn't enough to prove his point, Naruto concentrated his killing intent like Jiraiya had shown him during their sparring matches and unleashed said killing intent in massive waves throughout the room. The glares disappeared, and instead, they were replaced with looks of terror. The fear withing the room was as intense as the killing intent, paralyzing the other competitors where they stood or sat. Nobody even seemed to breathe. Never before had any of them ever encountered an intent to kill this powerful. It didn't even seem human. In fact, it wasn't.

The reason why it was so intense was because it was not only Naruto's killing intent, but also the Kyuubi's killer intent mixed in, which was far greater than any humans. Not only that, Naruto was also unleashing its chakra at the same time, adding to the intense pressure and rooting everyone to the spot. Even the very room seemed to become at least 30 degrees colder. The ninja who had been snickering seemed to choke on their own air as the intense ominous presence hit them in waves. The Rain ninja that had been glaring slid down the wall until they were flat on their butts and cowered in fear, their glares long gone. For a few seconds, everyone could even see the image of the nine tailed fox hovering above Naruto's head and glaring down at them all with demonic, inhuman eyes that practically screamed the word "Death".

Even Kabuto was close to falling on his knees and begging for his life. And since he was the closest to Naruto, he caught some of the worst of it. It took all of his willpower not to break, mentally anyway.

'_This killing intent...it's...it's inhuman! I've never felt a chakra pressure this damn intense before! Not only that, I'm looking at the actual Rinnegan! That kekkei genkai isn't even suppose to exist, yet this kid has it! This is no rookie, it can't be! Who is this kid! Or better yet, **what **is he! Because he sure as hell ain't human! Not with a killing intent like this! Wait a second...those eyes, blonde hair, and face mask...no...I don't believe it! This kid.....is Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan!' _Kabuto thought incredulously and scared out of his mind.

Squads 8 and 10 were no exception either. They felt Naruto's killing intent just as bad as anyone else. Even Squad 7, Naruto's own team, was blown away at the intense pressure coming from their blonde haired teammate.

'_What the hell is this! This can't be Uzumaki! A dead last shouldn't nearly have this much power let alone a killing intent like this! Was he holding back his true strength this whole time!_ _And that thing above his head, what the hell **was **that thing! If he can do this with his just his presence, I hate to see what his jutsu are like! And his eyes, what kind of eyes are those!' _Kiba thought to himself, hoping and praying that he didn't have to face Naruto in the exams.

'_This intense ominous presence, it feels....demonic. How is he capable of such power? A Genin such as him should be nowhere near this strong. I admit that I underestimated him, and I feel sorry for whoever has to face him in the exams.' _Shino thought, still somehow managing to keep his cool on the outside and inside.

'_N-N-Naruto-kun, this power, what have you become? T-T-This presence isn't h-h-human at all' _Hinata thought timidly.

'_So Naruto is this Master of the Rinnegan I've heard so much about! Man, what insane ability! Strength greater than that of the Sannin, it really is true! Naruto actually has **this** kind of power! This is just unreal, and this is only his killing intent at that! I knew coming here was a bad idea! Oh man, what a drag!' _Shikamaru thought to himself as he struggled to hold himself together under the intense chakra pressure.

'_Whoa! How is Naruto doing this! And his eyes, what's up with his eyes! Man, this is just too much me! I want out!' _Choji thought to himself as he dropped his bag of potato chips, his eye's wide.

'_This is Naruto-kun's true power! No way! No wonder he's hid it all this time!' _Ino thought as she tried to take a few steps back, but her legs would not cooperate.

'_Naruto's killing intent is actually this strong, unbelievable! Power like this shouldn't even exist!_' Sakura thought as he hugged herself, trying to keep herself in check so she wouldn't lose her mind in fear.

'_Is that Naruto? His strength has actually increased this much in only a month and a half! How? How is it possible for Naru-chan to have this much power! So this is what only half of his power is capable of!' _Sasuke thought unbelievably to himself as he held his ground.

Outside the door, Kakashi Hatake had been casually reading his book when he'd felt the unnatural killing intent and chakra presence as well. The normally calm and collected Kakashi dropped his book and fell to his knees when he felt it. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Kakashi began to sweat and breathe heavily. After a few moments, Kakashi recognized the chakra signature immediately.

"Naruto is causing this? How is he able to contain a killing intent that intense. Something like that could be felt throughout the entire village, yet he's containing it in that one room. How can Naruto's power have increased this much in only a short time? I guess what Jiraiya told me about the Rinnegan was true: the Rinnegan can either be used to bring peace and harmony or death and destruction. I just hope Naruto will be able to control all of that power in the exams, otherwise we could all be in serious danger." Kakashi said to himself out loud as the killing intent disappeared suddenly and Kakashi was able to rise to his feet again.

Back inside the room, the killing intent had gone away and now the room was filled with the frightened chatter and whispers of the shinobi taking the exams. After what had just happen, they were all shaken up and most of them couldn't even get their words straight.

"I don't believe it. The Master of the Rinnegan is actually taking these exams!"

"We're all screwed! None of us stand a chance against something like that!"

"The Rinnegan is actually real! Then that means the Sage was real too! Man, this is just too much to take in at one time."

"The Rinnegan Master is actually _here_! And he's only a rookie Genin! Damn, I figured he was a Jonin or something!"

All around the room, the shinobi voiced their surprise as they stared at Naruto's Rinnegan eyes, still having trouble believing what they were seeing even though it was right in front of their very eyes. They were looking at possibly the most powerful Genin in history right now and some of them would have to face him, none of which were thrilled after what had just happened.

"There, that oughta do it" Naruto said appreciatively, deciding to keep his Rinnegan activated this time.

After taking a few minutes to recover and pull himself together, Kiba looked at Naruto in astonishment.

"Uzumaki, how did you do that! or better yet, **what **was that!" Kiba asked in a demanding tone.

"It's a combination of both mine and the nine tailed fox's killing intent. Pervy Sage taught me how to do it during one of our sparring matches." Naruto explained, letting Kiba get a good look at the Rinnegan.

The nine rookies already knew about the fox sealed within Naruto from their parents and had vowed to keep it a secret since it was forbidden to talk about it. Their parents could get in trouble too.

"Pervy Sage? Who's that?' Choji asked after he had recovered also.

"You all know him as master Jiraiya." Naruto revealed.

"Wait a moment, you were trained by one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin? No wonder you're so strong then. That kind of strength will prove useful in these exams" Kabuto said. '_This kid is someone I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on_'.

"Oh yeah, Kabuto, I remember you said how we reminded you of how you were when you first took the Chunin Exams. So then, this isn't the first time you've taken the exams?" Sakura asked, remembering what Kabuto had said earlier before Naruto's incredible display of power.

"No, it's my seventh time" Kabuto revealed.

"What, your seventh time?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

'Well, their held twice a year, so this would be my fourth year" Kabuto explained.

"I see, so you're a veteran then. I'm sure you must be an expert by now" Sakura said, amazed.

"Well..yeah, sort of" Kabuto replied sheepishly.

"Yeah, he's a real expert. An expert that has never passed, that is" Shikamaru said sarcastically.

"Well seventh times the charm, that's what they say, right?" Kabuto said while scratching the back of his head nervously.

"So I take it that means that all that all rumors we heard about these Chunin Exams being tough were all true huh? Damn, I knew this would be a drag" Shikamaru complained lazily.

"Come on, don't give up hope just yet. Hmm, maybe I can help you kids out a little." Kabuto said as he reached into his left pocket and dug around for something.

Finally, Kabuto pulled out what appeared to be a deck of orange cards.

"What are those?" Ino asked.

"These are ninja info cards. It's kind of hard to explain, but these cards have been chakra encoded with everything I've learned over the past four years" Kabuto replied as he set the cards on the floor.

"I have more than 200 of them. So you see, I haven't been completely wasting my time. Although, they may not seem like much to the naked eye. In fact, they appear totally blank" Kabuto continued.

Squads 7, 8, and 10 gave him curious stares.

"What? I can't just let anyone see this stuff you know" Kabuto said as he pulled a card from the stack and began to spin it around on the floor with his finger in the middle.

"What are you doing exactly" Sakura asked.

"I'm using my chakra to reveal this card's secrets, like this for example" Kabuto said as he concentrated his chakra into the card.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and on the previously blank card was a map that showed the different lands and their villages. There was also a three dimension green bar that stuck up from the center of each country. On the bottom was a white strip that held a key that explained what the symbols on the map meant.

"Oh, it's a map. But of what exactly?" Sakura asked

"This map shows the geographical distribution of shinobi that have come to take the Chunin Exams. It shows what village they come from and how many from each village." Kabuto explained.

"Tell me, do those cards also have information on the candidates themselves?" Sasuke asked as he stepped forward.

"They might. Why, do you have someone special in mind?" Kabuto asked as he looked up.

"Maybe" Sasuke replied as he narrowed his eyes.

"Well, I can't promise that my information is complete or perfect, but I have something on pretty much everyone, even you guys. So feel free to tell me anything you know about them, such as a description of where their from or whatever else you can think of. So, who did you have in mind?" Kabuto said as he put the card back into the deck and shuffled them.

"I don't know know very much about him, but his name is Gaara of the Desert, from Sunagakure. And look up Rock Lee of Konohagakure while you're at it" Sasuke said.

"You know their names, good, it makes this a lot easier" Kabuto said as he selected two cards from the deck with a quick swipe of his hand. "Here they are"

"Show them to me, now" Sasuke demanded in a cold, commanding tone.

"Okay then, first up is Rock Lee of Konohagakure." Kabuto said as he made the card spin on the floor while pouring chakra into it with his finger.

There was a puff of smoke and Rock Lee's stats appeared on the card. The information included the areas of the ninja arts where he excelled at most, his teammates, his Jonin sensei, the village he belonged to, the number of missions he had completed, and the rank of those missions.

"It appears that he is a year older than you guys and his strongest point is taijutsu. The mission experience shows that he has completed 11 C-rank missions, and 20 D-rank missions. Rock Lee's Jonin sensei is named Might Guy and his taijutsu skills have increased dramatically in the past 12 months, but his other skills are far below average. It looks like taijutsu is all he knows. Last year, he got a lot of attention as a Genin, but for some reason, he chose not to take the Chunin Exams that year. This will be his first year as a candidate, the same as you guys, except he's not a rookie. Also, his teammates are Tenten and Neji Hyuga" Kabuto explained, however, nobody noticed when Hinata tensed up at the mention of Neji's name.

'_I'm pretty sure there's a relation between Hinata and Neji, considering that they both have the same last name, the same strange eyes, and they must be from the same clan. Maybe their brother and sister or something_' Naruto thought as Kabuto turned his attention to the other card.

"Okay, now for Gaara of the Desert" Kabuto said as he repeated the same process as he did for the other two cards.

There was a puff of smoke, and Gaara's stats appeared on the formerly blank card.

"Okay, Gaara's mission experience is 8 C-rank missions, and get this, 1 B-rank mission as a Genin. Other than that, there's not very much information about him, his skills and background history are all unknown. He's from Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand, and his teammates are Kankuro and Temari. Apparently their his older siblings. Oddly enough, his Squad doesn't appear to have a Jonin sensei or even a Chunin sensei, so these guys are on their own. Although, here's something you guys may find even stranger: Gaara returned from all his missions without so much as even a scratch on him!" Kabuto informed them.

"So this kid completed a B-rank mission even as a Genin and returned without so much a single injury...." Shikamaru let his voice trail off as he thought aloud about how something like that could be possible. A B-rank mission was one of the toughest missions and it was thought impossible for someone to complete one without taking a single hit. Apparently though, it's possible.

"What's the deal with this guy?" Naruto wondered out loud. Out of nervousness, Choji picked up his bag of chips and began to munch on them quickly and hungrily.

Kabuto then pulled out a card from before, and after pouring chakra into it, revealed that it was the card that held the map.

"Leaf, Sand, Rain, Grass, Waterfall, and Sound, from the looks of it, all these villages have sent exceptional shinobi to take the exams this time around. At least, that's how it looked before the Rinnegan Master did his killing intent demonstration" Kabuto said, looking up at Naruto with a bored expression.

"Oops, sorry about that" Naruto said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his sheepishly, his Rinnegan still activated.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, the Hidden Sound Village is actually pretty small. It sprang up recently and nobody really knows anything about it. With that being said, the ninja that come from there are a complete mystery so try to avoid them if you can." Kabuto informed as he put the card back into the deck.

"Well, I believe you get the point by now: the competition is going to be fierce this year." Kabuto added with a slight smirk.

"It would seem that way. It's almost enough to make you lose your confidence" Hinata said shyly.

"Now's a real good time to be talking like that, Hinata" Ino said angrily, shocked that the Hyuga heiress was already about to lose faith.

"Kabuto, do you really think it's going to be tougher this time?" Sakura asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely. In the four years I've been coming, I've never seen a crop of candidates with as much promise as this bunch. And with the Master of the Rinnegan participating, everyone is gonna wanna challenge him to prove how strong they are. In fact, our Rinnegan friend here is the perfect test for their skills. Beating him will earn them great respect and notoriety. They'll also be coming after you guys as well, so keep your guard up at all times. Yep, I'm afraid we have our work cut out for us" Kabuto informed them.

Naruto only smirked under his mask in response, he could already feel the enthusiasm building up.

Sakura, however, was nervous beyond words.

'_Okay, so were just rookies and most of these guys are older than us and have more experience. Alright, no big deal. It's okay to be a little scared. I can handle it, I'm positive I can. I may not be as strong as Naruto or Sasuke, but I can still hold my own. Alright, I can do this, as long as I remember to remain calm and not panic, just like Lady Tsunade told me. I just hope Naruto doesn't let this go to his head' _Sakura thought to herself. Fate had other plans however.

Unable to contain his enthusiasm any longer, Naruto calmly walked forward and pointed his finger at the other ninja in the room, proudly displaying his ocular kekkei genkai for the whole room to see.

"Alright everyone, my name is Naruto Uzumaki and I plan on beating every last one of you. I accept your challenge and I'll take on anyone who wants to take me on. I may be a rookie, but I've even tangled with Copy Ninja Kakashi a few times down the road and I can sure as hell tangle with the rest of you. So if any of you think you can take me and my friends on, feel free to try!" Naruto exclaimed as he challenged the other ninja.

At that moment, Sakura slapped her palm against her face in embarrassment.

'_Dammit, I should've known that Naruto would get carried away._' Sakura thought in exasperation.

"What the hell! Naruto, are you **trying **to get us all killed!" Ino exclaimed angrily, pissed off that Naruto was putting them in hot water.

Sasuke and Kabuto simply smiled at Naruto's boldness. They had to admit, Naruto had guts.

* * *

As Naruto finished making his open declaration, Gaara's team smirked in satisfaction at Naruto's gusty challenge while the rest of the room continued to recover from Naruto's killing intent technique.

"So that's really him then, Konoha's Master of the Rinnegan. I've gotta admit, that kid's power is just unnatural. As a matter of fact, I still have chills from it." Kankuro said.

"Yeah, whatever. Making himself a target isn't exactly a smart move on his part. Now he'll be wanted by every ninja here, he was better off keeping a low profile. Honestly, the kid is strong as fuck, but he yaps like a little dog" Temari said with a sneer.

Gaara just remained silent.

* * *

On the other side of the room sat Team Guy. They too had felt Naruto's killing intent technique and were beginning to have second doubts about targeting him. While it would earn them great respect for beating him, it was also too risky to attack an opponent with the kind of strength Naruto had. The boy had just scared the shit out of an entire room of ninja with his killing intent alone!

"Wow, not only is this kid strong, but he's also bold too. Even more bold than the Uchiha kid." Tenten commented.

"Well, he certainly hasn't lost any of his spunk." Neji said calmly.

"Yes, he does indeed have passion" Lee agreed.

"Hn, I guess you didn't do a good job of intimidating him Lee. In fact, I'd say you urged him on if he went out of his way to show us that display of power." Neji added.

* * *

In the middle of the room stood the sound ninja, which included Dosu Kinuta, Zaku Abumi, and the only female member, Kin Tsuchi.

"Did you hear what he said about the Hidden Sound Village? He had the nerve to call us "little", a mystery". the one named Zaku said angrily, referring to Kabuto.

"Calm down Zaku, I heard." Dosu said as he looked back at the rookies and Kabuto with his back hunched forward a little.

"I say we teach that guy some manners" Kin said with a smirk.

"Yeah, time to clear up some of the mystery for him. You know, update his information. We need to let him know that if you insult the sound shinobi, you had better be ready to face the consequences!" Dosu said, his voice rising a few octaves. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, let's do it" Zaku said with an evil smirk.

"Just remember to stay away from the Rinnegan Master. It's best to avoid contact with him for now and try not to look into those eyes of his. I heard that they can hypnotize you." Dosu warned as he and his team got into position.

With blinding speed, Team Dosu moved like shadows through the other ninja as they rounded in on the Rookie 9 and Kabuto. Of course, none of the other shinobi noticed their movements except for Kabuto and Naruto.

"Hey Naruto-san, it looks like a few people want to challenge you already" Kabuto said quietly to Naruto, but Naruto's demonic hearing managed to pick it up as though Kabuto had spoken it in his normal tone of voice and not a whisper.

"I noticed" Naruto said with a hidden smirk.

No sooner had Naruto spoken when Zaku leaped forward from within the crowd and launched two kunai at Kabuto. Kabuto managed to move back just in time as Naruto suddenly appeared in midair in front of a stunned Zaku.

'_What! His speed is....how did he....?_' Zaku wasn't able to finish his thought as Naruto formed a tight fist and punched Zaku right between the eyes, sending the boy crashing onto the table he had leaped from.

Meanwhile, Dosu rounded in on Kabuto, forcing Kabuto back up further.

'_That music note symbol! This guy is from the the Village Hidden in the Sound!' _Kabuto realized, just as Dosu swung his fist. Kabuto managed to move out of the way in the nick of time, barely missing the punch aimed for his face.

'_Wow, he's fast!' _Sakura thought.

_'That guy is almost on my level when it comes to speed, very interesting' _Sasuke thought with a smirk.

As Kabuto moved back, he smirked at the sound ninja and seemed completely fine at first, but then, without warning, his glasses suddenly cracked.

"I see. So it was **that **kind of attack" Kabuto said as he removed his glasses.

"Wait a minute, I saw it! Kabuto dodged that attack, so how did that happen?" Sasuke demanded.

"It must've come closer than it looked. Keh, just look at him, acting like it was nothing, a real tough guy" Shikamaru said.

Suddenly, Kabuto's eyes widened and his vision became blurred. Kabuto fell to his knees and began to gag and dry heave uncontrollably.

"Huh?" Naruto said, confused. What was that? By using the Rinnegan, Naruto had seen what looked like a trail of chakra flow from Dosu's right arm and into Kabuto's ear.

"Kabuto, what's wrong? What is it?" Sakura asked, her voice laced with concern.

Everyone else just stood by idly and waited to see what would happen next.

Zaku smirked as he stood up.

"Got em" Zaku said triumphantly, although he was still hurting a little from Naruto's punch.

Not wasting anymore time, Naruto and Sakura ran over to Kabuto's side.

"Hey, Kabuto, are you alright?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kabuto replied breathlessly.

"Hn, not such a tough guy after all. Maybe that's why he's on his seventh try." Dosu said coldly.

"Write this on your little card punk: the Genin from the Sound Village will be Chunin by the time this over, guaranteed." Kin said with confidence.

Sasuke, like the other shinobi in the room, were completely baffled at what had happened.

'_I don't get it, he saw their attack in time to evade it. What could've made Kabuto fall apart like that?' _Sasuke wondered to himself. Kabuto had clearly dodged the attack, yet he was still hit by something, but what?

"Lee, what happened with that attack?" Neji asked Lee from their position in the room.

"I'm not sure. Kabuto dodged the attack but was somehow still hit. Perhaps some kind of trick was involved." Lee hypothesized.

"Hey, what gives you son of a bitch! I saw some kind of chakra stream leave your right arm. What the hell was that? You mean to tell me you have to use cheap shots to win?" Naruto said angrily.

"Naruto, what are you talking about? I didn't see anything" Sasuke said. '_Hmm, maybe Naruto's Rinnegan was able to see something the normal eye cannot see'_

Dosu's only visible eye widened at the revelation.

'_That brat actually saw my attack! Apparently, the Rinnegan allows him to see his opponent's chakra. Dammit, those eyes of his are starting to piss me off!' _Dosu thought angrily.

Before anyone one else could continue further, there was a huge puff of smoke at the front of the room. All eyes shot to the front of the room as the smoke began to clear quickly. In the front of the room stood a whole row of Jonin and Chunin exam proctors and in the front stood the tallest of them. The man had tan skin and two slash marks going across his face. He wore a black bandanna with the Leaf Village symbol on the front around his head and a long black trench coat. The tall man wore black gloves with metal wrist guards, as well as dark blue trousers and black combat boots.

"It's time to begin. I'm Ibiki Morino, you first exam proctor, and from this moment forward, you **worst **enemy" the man said in a dark threatening voice.

**Sorry for the long wait and for the long chapter, but I wanted to start the first part of the exams in the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it and please be sure to review and tell me what you think.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. I wish I did, but sadly, I do not.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 22**

All previous activity in the room stopped as all attention was drawn to the front of the room. The man in the trench coat continued to stand there like a statue after introducing himself, along with the other proctors behind him. The participants could feel the killing intent coming off this guy in waves. It wasn't nearly as strong as the one Naruto had sent out, but it was strong and ominous enough to let everyone know that he was dangerous and you didn't want to piss him off. There's no telling what he would do if he got mad and the others didn't want to find out. Even Naruto and Sasuke, the two most confident participants, were guessing twice about testing this guy, Ibiki Morino's, patience. The proctors in the background merely smirked at the participants' expressions as they stared at Ibiki.

The participants in the front row took a few steps back as Ibiki spoke, murmuring to each other as they backed away. Suddenly, Ibiki's killing intent rose dramatically in only a matter of seconds, causing everyone to back away even more. Yeah, they definitely did **NOT **want to test this guy.

"First, you candidates from the Village Hidden in the Sound, knock it off! Nobody gave you permission to start a fight right here and now! Do all of you want to be failed before we've even begun?" Ibiki yelled while pointing at the sound ninja.

"Sorry, it's our first time and we sort of got carried away. I guess we were a little jumpy, _sir_" Dosu said as he turned around to face Ibiki, saying the "sir" part sarcastically.

Ibiki smirked for a moment, but then his smirk faulted for a split when he noticed Naruto's eyes. However, his smirked returned a second later before anyone really had the chance to notice.

'_So **he's **taking these exams huh? Heh, I'm actually quite interested in seeing how many candidates will challenge him. That massive killing intent I felt came from him no doubt, and I can't help but wonder what else he can do' _Ibiki thought as he stared at Naruto for a few seconds before turning his attention to the rest of the candidates.

"I'll only say this once, so listen up! There will be absolutely no combat between candidates in this part of the exams. In other words, no attacking each other without the permission of your proctor. And even then, the use of fatal force is _**strictly**_ prohibited! Anyone who even thinks of testing me will be disqualified immediately, GOT IT!" Ibiki warned, raising his voice and increasing his intent to kill at the same time.

Everyone in the room glared at Ibiki, but they all nodded anyway. They figured it was best not get on this guy's bad side and just follow the rules, even if it did take all their willpower not to punch him the face. Everyone nodded in approval, all except for Zaku Abumi, who only smirked.

"No fatal force huh? Well that's no fun." Zaku said with a cocky tone. The other exam proctors simply sneered as Ibiki began to explain what to do.

"Now then, since I believe we're all ready now, let's move on to the first part of the exams. First, hand in your applications, and in return, you will each be given a number **(Ibiki holds up an index card that has #1 written on it)**. The number you will be given will determine where you will sit. We shall begin the written test once you are all seated." Ibiki explained.

"We're starting with a written exam! Damn, one of the things I hate the most. No wonder Shikamaru says that putting pencil to paper is a waste of energy, these written exams are my weakest field." Naruto said gloomily.

Naruto was a genius, that much was true, but he wasn't a well rounded genius. In other words, he wasn't a genius when it came to all fields, namely written tests and genjutsu. He could do excellent in every other field of the ninja arts, but when it came to written tests, Naruto would space out and get stuck and he was simply no good when it came to genjutsu. He could break out of it with no problem, but he could not do genjutsu himself. Naruto simply wasn't cut out for either one.

"Don't worry about it Naruto, I know how smart you really are. You'll do fine, just don't panic and think about each problem. I believe in you" Sakura said as she and Naruto pulled Kabuto up to his feet.

A few minutes later, everyone had handed in their applications and received their seating numbers. After everyone had gotten seated, the exam proctors passed out the written exam, pencils, and erasers and took up seats along the wall on either side of the classroom with clipboards and sharpened pencils. Afterwards, everyone waited patiently for Ibiki to explain the next set of rules. Naruto, however, was close to having a nervous breakdown. Not only that, people kept turning around to look at his Rinnegan eyes and the stares were not helping either.

'_Man, this sucks ass. I don't even know where Sasu-chan and Sakura-chan are sitting, dammit. I'm all alone on this one. Dammit again, this is already turning out to be a disaster!' _Naruto said as he ran his hands through his blonde hair.

Meanwhile, Sakura was sitting a few rows behind Naruto and was watching helplessly as her blonde haired teammate started to crack.

'_Hang in there Naruto. Don't get so nervous or you're sure to mess up. I know you can do this if you stay calm' _Sakura silently encouraged her friend.

As Naruto laid his forehead against his desk, he heard a soft voice come from beside of him.

"H-Hey, N-Naruto-kun" the voice said. Naruto looked to his right and saw Hinata sitting next to him.

"Oh, hey Hinata" Naruto said, surprised that he hadn't sensed her until now.

"I..uh..j-just wanted t-t-to say g-good luck and e-everything" Hinata stuttered while blushing lightly.

"Oh, well thank you. I could really use some encouragement right now" Naruto replied '_Damn, I was so caught up that I didn't even notice her there until she said something. I have to stay focused at all times during this thing. Then again, Hinata is a really quiet person. It's almost like she's not there even though she **is **there.'_

Suddenly, Naruto and everyone else were snapped out of their thoughts as Ibiki tapped a piece of chalk on the chalk board to get everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone, eyes up front. There are a few rules you need to be aware of, and I will not answer any questions so you had better pay attention the first time around." Ibiki said while tapping the chalk against the board a couple more times.

'_What, no questions? What the hell kind of rules are these anyway?' _Sakura questioned to herself while giving Ibiki a confused look.

"Alright, rule #1 is this: the written part of the exam is conducted on a point reduction system. Contrary to what most of you may be used to, you all begin the test with a perfect score of 10 points. One point will be deducted for each problem you get wrong. For example, if you miss 3 problems, then your final score will be a 7." Ibiki explained

"Rule #2: you pass or fail based on the total score of all 3 members of your squad." Ibiki said, smirking as gasps and murmurs erupted throughout the class all at once.

Sakura slammed her fists down on her desk angrily, creating a few small cracks on the surface.

"What! You mean we all get graded as a team?" she questioned, outraged.

"SILENCE! Besides, I have my reasons, so I suggest you all shut up and listen!" Ibiki roared.

'_Reasons! What reasons could he possibly have?' _Sakura thought to herself as she calmed down a little.

"Rule #3: the proctors you see positioned around the room are there to watch you carefully for any signs of cheating. And for every incident they spot, they will subtract 2 points form the culprit's score. Also, be warned: their eye sight is extremely sharp. And if they catch you cheating 5 times, you will be disqualified before the tests are even scored. " Ibiki continued with a smirk.

'_Sheesh, they make it so that there all sorts of ways you can lose points. Under these circumstances, it's damn near impossible to get a perfect score' _Naruto thought.

"Anyone who is foolish enough to be caught cheating by the proctors doesn't deserve to be here. If you all want to be considered shinobi, you must show us what exceptional shinobi you can be" Ibiki said with his smirk still in place.

After hearing the rules, almost everyone in the class became tense and some even started shaking from nervousness. If you failed, your entire squad failed, so the full weight rested on the shoulders of everyone in your team. Wow, talk about pressure.

'_Okay okay, I'll do alright and Sasuke will definitely do fine, he scored the highest in written tests out of everyone in our class after all. And even if Naruto gets a zero, me and Sasuke can both do good and pull through this' _Sakura thought after taking a deep breath.

"One more thing, if any member of your squad should get a zero, then the **_entire team _**fails also." Ibiki added.

More gasps and whispers rang out through out the class, this time louder. Even Sasuke was caught off guard by this last piece of information and Sakura's eyes were just about to pop out of her head if they got any bigger.

'_WHAT DID HE JUST SAY!' _Sakura screamed to herself in her head.

'_Oh man, I am so **fucked**. Sasuke and Sakura are going to kill me!' _Naruto thought as he ran his hands through his hair nervously again, he could practically feel Sasuke and Sakura staring at him from somewhere behind him.

"Now then the last problem will not be given out until the end of the testing period. You will have a total of 1 hour to complete the written part of the exam. So, without further need for instructions, BEGIN!" Ibiki roared.

And with that one simple command, the candidates flipped over their tests and began to read the first problem. The Chunin Exams had finally begun, and boy were they in for a hell of a ride.

* * *

As the exams began, the room was filled with the sounds of paper turning and the sounds of pencils tapping as candidates began to work on the first problem after reading it. Some tapped their pencils in frustration as they tried to work the problem out in their head, but were having no success. Sakura, meanwhile, sat at her desk with her pencil hovering inches above her paper.

'_Okay, focus Sakura, focus. This is where you get to show what you're made of. Just please don't blow it Naruto, at least get **one **right. It'll be embarrassing, but at least that's better than getting a zero. Besides, you're a genius. I know you can do this if you just focus' _Sakura thought to herself as she silently encouraged Naruto.

* * *

All the way on the other side of the room, near the back left corner, sat Sasuke. From his position he could see Naruto perfectly and he silently felt bad for the poor blonde. Like Sakura, Sasuke also knew about Naruto's weakness in genjutsu and written exams. All he could for now was watch helplessly as his Naru0chan struggled, which was torture.

'_This doesn't look good. Naru-chan is just sitting there, he's gonna choke if he doesn't pull himself together' _Sasuke thought as he watched Naruto from afar.

* * *

After sitting there and staring at the first problem for 5 minutes, Naruto began to finally look at the bright side of things.

'_What am I worried about, it's just a test. I mean, I've done a lot of harder things besides this. All I have to do is relax and take my time like Sakura-chan said. I'll just read through the questions and do the ones that are easy enough for me to understand.' _Naruto thought as he reassured himself.

'_Alright, first problem. Hmm, apparently, I have to decipher a code. (_**tries to figure it out for 15 minutes)**_ On second thought, I'll skip that one and come back to it later.' _Naruto decided and began to look at the second problem.

* * *

Sasuke, meanwhile, had skipped the first problem as well and was now silently reading the second problem to himself.

'_Line B in the diagram is the trajectory of a shuriken thrown at ninja C by ninja A from ontop of a tree that is 7 meters tall. Describe and formulate the trajectory required if C were positioned at points D,E, and F. Also, predict the farthest possible range of the shuriken and explain how you arrived at your answer.' _Sasuke read to himself. _' They've got to be fucking kidding me'_

_

* * *

_

Sakura, on the other hand, had managed to decipher the code from the first problem and had just gotten finished reading the second problem. However, her face contorted into a look of horror as she read through.

'_These are integrated problems based on principles of uncertainty and requires complex mechanical energy analysis! All of this is incredibly advanced material, too advanced for most Genin at that. This is easy stuff for me, but Naruto won't be able to understand any of these! I really hate to say it, but he doesn't have a chance unless he successfully cheats off of someone else. He's not the only one either. There are probably a handful of other people here that don't understand a single problem either. In fact, each problem is as hard as the one before. If you can't solve the first one, then you have no chance of answering the other questions!' _Sakura realized. If Naruto didn't pull through somehow, it would be all over for the rest of Squad 7 already.

* * *

'_Okay, I don't understand the second problem either, so I'll skip that one too.' _Naruto decided. However, after reading each problem carefully, Naruto was still unable to understand a single problem. With that being said, Naruto did only thing he could do: panic. The blonde haired ninja dropped his pencil and hung his head in shame, disappointed that he had let his team down.

* * *

After reading over all of the problems, Sasuke put his paper down and appeared to look completely calm and collected on the outside, creating a false look of confidence, but on the inside was a different story entirely.

'_Well, this is quite interesting. I cannot begin to understand a single one of these problems. This must be how Naruto feels right now. Dammit, I have to think of some way to gather the answers without being noticed by any of these proctors. But how?' _Sasuke thought.

Usually, staying calm in situations helped Sasuke think more clearly, but that wasn't helping right now. After thinking about it for a few more moments, Sasuke decided that cheating was his only option, he just had to do it without being seen. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done because an exam proctor was staring directly at him and smirking in delight while tapping his clipboard.

* * *

Naruto was officially having a nervous breakdown, not only could he not figure out a single problem, but now he was letting his team down too. It was all too much to bare, and now Naruto was on the verge of tears as he ran his hands through his hair again.

'_Fuck it, it's hopeless. What the hell am I going to do now! The only thing I can do is cheat and not get caught.' _Naruto thought to himself frantically.

However, when Ibiki stopped pacing the room and looked at him from the front of the classroom, Naruto dismissed the idea. Cheating was simply too risky. However, Naruto would have to think of something soon if he was to pass the test.

* * *

Sasuke sat at his desk and continued to go over ways to cheat as well as think about the exam itself.

'_It's so strange, the proctors fuss more about cheating than the exam itself. These proctors, watching our every move, trying to catch us' _Sasuke thought as he analyzed the situation.

Suddenly, the proctor closest to Sasuke began to write a name on his clipboard. This action did not go unnoticed by the ever-observant Uchiha.

'_Looks like somebody just got busted. That's another thing, why only a two point deduction? This is a highly important test to determine whether on not we advance in the ranks. Cheating should result in immediate disqualification, yet we get 5 chances. This just doesn't make sense. Alright Sasuke, think about everything that has already been said. There has to be a message somewhere' _Sasuke thought as he closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to everything Ibiki had explained before the test began.

Sasuke analyzed every last bit of information, including the part about the 2 point deduction and the 5 chances, but the one thing that caught his attention was what Ibiki had said at the end: "_shows us what exceptional shinobi you are". _Sasuke's eyes snapped open in revelation.

'_That's it, it has to be! This is about more than just the written exam. The real aim is not to test our knowledge, but our ability to gather information despite being under heavy surveillance. That explains all of it: the sharp eyed proctors, the hard-ass questions, the 2 point deduction system, and the 5 chances. Now I see what Kakashi meant when he said a ninja must see through deception. Ibiki isn't prohibiting us from cheating, he's encouraging us to cheat. In fact, he's **daring **us to cheat and not get caught. Only the exceptional shinobi can gather information under these circumstances, and that's what he's looking for. You **have **to cheat, the test demands it. But you have to act without getting caught. I wonder if the other shinobi have already figured this out.' _Sasuke thought, grateful that he been blessed with above average intelligence. Sasuke then began to look around, hoping to find someone who had the right answers.

* * *

Sure enough, all around the room, other shinobi had caught on to the real purpose of this part of the exams and were using their special abilities as ways of gathering the answers without being caught. Kiba, for example, had Akamaru sit on top of his head and look for anyone who might've had the right answers. After he'd found someone, Akamaru let out a series of very low barks that only Kiba could hear and understand.

"Good boy. Yeah, this outta do it" Kiba said to himself as he wrote down the answers, understanding Akamaru as though the dog was speaking in plain English.

Dosu Kinuta was also using his special ability to cheat. Dosu closed his eyes and concentrated on the person behind him, since that person was the only one around him that was actually making progress. By listening to the rhythm of the strokes from the person's pencil, and the number of the strokes, Dosu copied what the person had written down simply through the sound of their pencil.

What Dosu didn't know, was that he himself was also being spied on. Shino had sent out one of his bugs to find someone who had good answers and that bug was looking over Dosu's answers. After studying the answers for a few minutes, the bug flew back to Shino and told him the answers through a series of low buzzes and chirps.

"I see. Thank you for your assistance." Shino said as he wrote down the answers that the bug had just given him.

However, Shino was also being spied on by Tenten, unknown to him. By using chakra strings, strings made entirely out of chakra that the puppet masters use for the Puppet Master Jutsu, Tenten began to mess with one of the overhead mirrors that were around the overhead light. By using the chakra strings to fix the mirror, Tenten was not only setting the mirror at a certain angle so that she could see the answers on Shino's test, but she was also sending a message in morse code to Rock Lee by moving the mirror in certain directions. The message read: _Lee, if you can see this, adjust your head band._

Noticing movement above his head, Rock Lee looked up and noticed the mirror, as well as Tenten's secret coded message. Understanding, Lee took off his forehead protector from around his waist and tied it around his head, letting Tenten know that her message had been received. After adjusting his forehead protector, Lee began to copy Shino's answers reflected on the mirror.

* * *

Meanwhile, Naruto still had not figured out the real reason behind this part of the exams, and was currently on the verge of having a nervous breakdown, right then and there. He tried to figure the problems out as best he could, but so far, he had not answered a single problem and he was running out of ideas. He didn't want to cheat, but what other choice did he have?

'_Tick tock tick tock, time is running out and I still haven't answered a single problem yet! That does it, as much as I hate to do it, I have to cheat. Otherwise, I won't get a single problem done and I'll have let Sasuke and Sakura down. Dammit, why is this test so damn hard? It's near impossible for a Genin to understand these questions. Unless...' _Naruto thought as he let his voice trail off.

Forming a triangle with his fingers and closing his eyes, a habit Naruto did whenever he needed to truly concentrate on a situation and use his gifted intelligence, Naruto began to think back on what Ibiki had said and the circumstances up until now. After only a minute, Naruto's snapped open in realization.

'_That's it! Cheating **is **the whole point of this test. You have to gather information even when under heavy surveillance. So this is what Kakashi-sensei meant when he said a ninja must be able to see what's underneath the underneath! This test demands that you cheat! I bet Sasuke and Sakura have probably already figured that out by now! Damn, some genius I am, I've already wasted so much time as it is. Now I just have to find someone who has all the answers and cheat off of them without getting caught by the proctors.' _Naruto thought to himself, his Rinnegan eyes darting all over the room.

Hinata noticed that Naruto appeared to be having trouble and she wanted to help out as best she could. She had ignored him up until now because she felt that Naruto had to figure this out on his own, but she hated seeing Naruto struggle and she wanted to help.

"Naruto, if y-you want, I-I could s-s-show you m-my test" Hinata offered while blushing, catching Naruto's attention.

Normally, Naruto would question this sort of thing, but since he had caught on to the real point of the test, Naruto was not about to let this perfect opportunity get away, not after he had wasted so much time already.

"You really don't mind Hinata?" Naruto asked curiously.

Hinata shook her head no, and as proof, slid her paper over so that Naruto could get a better look.

'_This is too easy! What are the chances that I would sit next to someone who actually wants me to cheat off of them?' _Naruto asked himself, amazed at his luck.

As Naruto looked over at Hinata's paper and began to copy down the answers, a kunai came from out of nowhere, whizzed inches by Naruto's face, and embedded itself into the desk of one of the candidates sitting behind Naruto, causing Naruto to yelp.

"AAAAH!" the boy yelped in surprise as the kunai embedded itself into his desk, pinning his test to the surface of said desk. Candidates gasped all around him as their concentration was broken, the kunai surprising the hell out of them.

'_What! How did they know? I've barely even done anything just yet!' _Naruto thought, believing that he been caught cheating.

"What the hell? What was that about?" the boy asked angrily as he stood up, his forehead protecting revealing him to be a Leaf shinobi.

"5 strikes and you're out. You've just failed the test my friend" an exam proctor said with a smirk.

"What? That can't be!" the boy exclaimed, but it was futile.

"You and your teammates must leave the room immediately" the proctor said, pointing at the frightened boy.

The boy's teammates reluctantly stood up and began to walk towards the door, giving him angry glances as they passed his desk. The boy stood there, catching his breath before moving slowly towards the door also. This one elimination caused what seemed like a chain reaction. Left and right, teams were being eliminated for being caught cheating 5 times, one after another.

"Candidate #23, failed" an exam proctor said.

"Candidates #27 and #43, failed" another proctor said.

One of the failed candidates had decided to put up a fight, so he had to be forcefully dragged out of the classroom.

"Wait a minute! Stop, it's not fair! I didn't do anything, I didn't do anything!" the boy yelled as he was dragged out, kicking and screaming the whole way.

"Candidate #30, failed" an exam proctor said.

"No way! There's no way I cheated 5 times in a row, where's your proof? How can you keep track of all of us? You have the wrong guy! How do you know I wasn't just---" #30 yelled angrily before he was cut off.

The exam proctor that failed him moved with lightning speed and pinned the boy to the wall by the neck with his elbow.

"Sorry pal, but we were chosen because we don't make mistakes like that. In fact, you can't even blink without us seeing it. We're the best of the best, and you my friend, are history. Now get the hell out of here and take your teammates with you." the exam proctor said as he let the boy drop to the floor.

The other candidates instantly became nervous, not wanting to be caught and meet the same fate as that boy. Some started to sweat uncontrollably and others began to tremble a little.

"Hey, Naruto, go ahead and look if you want to" Hinata said, sliding her paper closer to him so he could see it.

However, Naruto's attention was drawn to the exam proctor that was seated down at the end of his row, who was currently writing a number of names on his clipboard. Sensing that he was being watched, the exam proctor looked up, made eye contact with Naruto, and smirked.

Naruto tensed visibly and looked down at his test again.

"Hinata, thanks for your help, but I can't look at this way. Slide your paper back over to you, I have an idea and I don't want to look suspicious if they see your paper near me" Naruto instructed.

"Well, okay, but are you sure?" Hinata asked, noticing that Naruto's test was still blank.

"Yeah, just slide your paper back over to you. I'll take care of it from here" Naruto reassured her.

Hinata nodded and slid her test back towards her and picked up where she left off.

After making sure that no exam proctors were watching, Narruto made the "Ram" hand seal.

"Rinnegan Summonig Jutsu" Naruto whispered.

There was a puff of smoke and a small green chameleon, the size of Akamaru, appeared on Naruto's desk.

The chameleon looked like any other chameleon except it had a snake for a tail and it had a pair of Rinnegan eyes instead of normal eyes. It also had what looked like metal spikes stuck in it's back. The chameleon looked up at its master and awaited it's orders.

"Okay, I need you to make yourself invisible and crawl up onto the ceiling. Then look at Hinata's paper from above and keep staring at it until I disperse you" Naruto explained.

The chameleon nodded, and a second later, it blended in with it's surroundings, jumped off Naruto'd desk and made its way to the wall. After reaching the wall, it climbed up to the ceiling and clung there upside down. The chameleon then angled one of his eyes until it located Hinata's paper and it stayed up there just as Naruto had commanded.

Hinata had seen and heard everything and was speechless. She had never seen that summon before and she didn't know that Naruto could do that. With that being said, Hinata gave in to her curiosity.

"Hey, N-Naruto what was that just now? I've never seen that summon b-before and why d-did it l-look so weird?" Hinata asked.

"It's a Rinnegan Summon. For a Rinnegan Summoning, all you need is the Rinnegan kekkei genkai, no blood contract. After that, you just focus on the animal you want to summon, and then make the right hand seal. The reason why it looks so weird was because of the spikes in its back, called chakra disruption blades. They allow me to control the summon and see what it sees just like with my clones. Since the chameleon is looking at your paper, I can see your paper too and we won't look suspicious. Pretty cool huh?" Naruto explained.

'_Wow, Naruto actually figured that out in only a few minutes. It's...so amazing how strong he's become with the Rinnegan. I hope I get to be as strong as Naruto someday.' _Hinata thought as she marveled at Naruto's skill.

Using shared vision with the chameleon, Naruto began to copy the answers off Hinata's paper without looking suspicious in the least bit. Yeah, some "eagle eyes" these proctors had.

* * *

As Naruto finally caught on, Sakura was well on her way herself. So far, she had answered half of the problems and she was now on the second column. To be honest, she was feeling quite pleased with herself. At this rate she would be finished and still have time to spare. Sakura looked up from her work for a few seconds and saw that Naruto was hard at work.

'_I knew you could do it Naruto. All you had to do was concentrate and think about each problem carefully. We'll pass for sure at this rate.' _Sakura thought happily as she continued working.

* * *

Neji Hyuga activated his clan's kekkei genkai, the Byakugan, and used it's x-ray vision to see through the boy's body, who was in front of him, in order to see his paper.

'_There it is, as clear as day.' _Neji thought as he began to copy down the answers quickly before any of the proctors noticed.

* * *

After looking around for another 5 minutes, Sasuke was finally able to spot someone in the front row who was about to start on the same problem that he was on. Not wasting anytime, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and began to copy the boy's pencil movements.

'_This is perfect. All I have to do is keep copying his pencil movements and I'll be done with this in no time. Hn, I definitely hit the jackpot with this guy.' _Sasuke thought as he copied the boy's pencil movements perfectly with his Sharingan.

* * *

Ino Yamanaka sat 3 rows behind Sakura, watching her pink haired rival intently with a bit of jealousy.

'_Look at her, she's breezing right through this thing. Okay Sakura, I can see that you've got a brain behind that over-sized forehead of yours, but now I think it's time I got it to work for me. Heh, you should be flattered girl, I don't hit just anyone with my clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu.' _Ino thought to herself as she formed her fingers into a square with Sakura in the center.

By focusing her chakra, Ino's mind left her body and flew straight into Sakura's. As a result, Ino's body fell limp ontop of her desk, since it temporarily no longer had a soul within it.

'_So, Ino's got her jutsu working huh. Alright, now all I have to do is wait for her to send me and Choji the answers' _Shikamaru thought himself when he saw Ino's body go limp.

_'Nice job Ino, putting that brainiac to work for us.' _Choji thought as he witnessed Ino perform her jutsu also.

After taking over Sakura's mind, Ino flexed her fingers as she got used to her new, temporary body.

'_Thanks Sakura, for letting me hang out in your soul for a bit, even if it is a little cramped in here. Now then, I have to memorize these answers quick so I can pass them on to Choji and Shikamaru.' _Ino thought as she began to look over Sakura's test and memorize all of the answers.

* * *

Meanwhile, team after team continued to be eliminated as one or more teammates were caught cheating 5 times in a row. Left and right, teams were disqualified, one after another, just like earlier on.

"#59, you fail" an exam proctor called out casually.

"#33 and #9, you fail" another proctor called out.

'_That's the thirteenth team to be dismissed. Our numbers are quickly starting to get smaller and smaller by the minute.' _Kabuto thought as he watched team after team leave the room after being caught 5 times.

"#41, fail" a proctor called out.

"#35 and #62, you fail" another proctor called out.

#62, however, didn't want to go quietly and ended being thrown out just like #42.

Gaara covered up his left eye as sand began to gather into his open hand. After only a few seconds, an eyeball appeared in Gaara's open palm.

'_The Opening of the Third Eye, Invisible Link to the Optic Nerve' _Gaara thought to himself as he said the name of the technique.

Gaara then crushed the eye in his hand and it dispersed into tiny grains of sand that traveled through the classroom until finally finding a boy who was almost done with his test. Some of the grains of sand flew into the boy's eyes, temporarily blinding him as the rest of the sand formed the eyeball again. The eye hovered over the boy's paper, looking over his answers as Gaara copied them down quickly.

This action did not go unnoticed by Ibiki, who had seen everything.

'_Look at that one, cool as a cucumber. He stays focused as though nothing is happening. Hn, I have to admit, that's not bad for a novice.' _Ibiki thought in appreciation.

After seeing that Gaara was making his move to gather the answers, Kankuro decided that it was time to make **his **move as well. Kankuro raised his hand, catching the attention of the nearest proctor.

"Uh, excuse me" Kankuro said as he raised his hand.

"Yes, what is it?" the proctor asked harshly

"Sorry, but I have to use the bathroom." Kankuro said.

The proctor nodded and Kankuro stood up. Before he could move to go anywhere, however, the proctor slapped a pair of handcuffs on him with a rope attached.

"I have to go with you, just to make sure you don't try anything." the proctor explained while scowling.

"I see, perfectly understandable" Kankuro said in a strangely cheerful tone as he was led out of the classroom.

* * *

Kankuro smirked as he used the bathroom, letting out a sigh of relief as he pissed. Everything had worked out exactly as he had planned.

"Security is pretty tight around here, but these proctors aren't as "eagle eyed" as everyone thinks. After all, they haven't even noticed that there's one more proctor than there used to be, right Crow?" Kankuro said confidently to the exam proctor standing behind the bathroom stall wall.

The proctor's left eye and some of the skin around it cracked and chipped off as though it was made of glass, and then broke away, revealing another eye behind it. The eye was black and stared ahead eerily with a blank expression.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the classroom, Naruto was halfway down with his test, as he was already on the second column of problems and he only had 1 more problem to go. After copying the answer to the problem he was currently working on off of Hinata's paper, thanks to the chameleon, Naruto looked up at the clock.

'_Okay, there's only 20 minutes left and I'm making pretty good progress. All I have to do now is wait for the tenth, and final, question.' _Naruto thought to himself.

For once in his life, Naruto was truly grateful that out of all of the kekkei genkai out there, he had been given the Rinnegan. It had gotten him out of one jam after another with it's amazing abilities and now it had saved him yet again, this time with shared vision. That ability fascinated Naruto most of all, the ability to see whatever his clones or summons saw. If one clone was looking north, another looking south, another looking west, and another looking east, Naruto could see all 4 directions at once. This means that Naruto had absolutely no blindspots, which is very useful in battle. It was as though the Rinnegan, which hadn't been seen for nearly 600 years, was **meant** for him, since the shadow clone jutsu is his signature technique. Hell, even Naruto himself could not believe his luck.

* * *

Ibiki smirked as he looked over what was left of the class. What had originally been a roomful was now only half full and the room seemed a lot more spacious now. Not only that, the room seemed brighter as well. Now that half of the candidates had been cleared out, more of the sun's sunlight could get in and the room now was now as bright as day. Speaking of which, it was a beautiful sunny day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The blinds were open and it gave a clear view to the ground and people below.

'_Now that we've weeded out most of the hopeless cases, we can deal with the ones that actually show promise since they have managed to make it this far. There only 15 more minutes to go now, and it's now time for the main event.' _Ibiki thought to himself while still smirking.

"Alright you maggots, listen up! It's time for the tenth question!" Ibiki announced, causing some of the candidates to visibly tense up.

'_Alright, this is it. This question is the one that makes the most difference. Everything rides on this one!' _Naruto thought to himself as he made a hand seal and dispersed the chameleon on the ceiling.

'_Hn, why is this guy making such a big deal about this one question?' _Sasuke thought to himself confidently.

'_Alright, this is the final obstacle. We've come this far and we're not about to fail now.' _Sakura thought to herself eagerly.

Temari looked towards the door nervously as Ibiki announced that he was going to give the last question.

'_Kankuro, hurry up already! If he gives the final question before you get back, your cheat sheet will be meaningless.' _Temari thought frantically.

Ibiki cleared his throat, directing all on attention to him.

"Before I give the final question, I'm going to add a few rules" Ibiki said.

At that moment, Kankuro finally walked back in, along with the "proctor" that had escorted him to the bathroom.

"Well aren't you lucky? It looks like playing with the dolls wasn't a waste after all." Ibiki said with a smirk.

Kankuro visibly tensed and began to sweat a little bit.

'_What? This guy......he's figured Crow out already! How?' _Kankuro thought to himself nervously.

"Anyway, sit down. It doesn't matter now anyway" Ibiki said with a sigh.

Kankuro nodded and began to walk back to his desk. On the way there, Kankuro casually dropped off a small scroll on Temari's desk, which held the answers to the exam questions. Kankuro then sat back down at his desk and stared straight ahead at Ibiki, waiting to be given his last question.

"Now then, allow me to explain. These rules that I am about to give you have been nicknamed the "hopeless rules", just to give you all a heads up." Ibiki said

Naruto gulped.

_'Hopeless rules? Oh great, this sort of thing can never be simple enough' _Naruto thought with an exasperated sigh.

"First, you all must choose whether or not you will take this tenth question!" Ibiki said, earning him a bunch of confused and surprised looks.

'_Huh? What does he mean we have to choose between whether or not to take the last question? Of course we're going to take it, why wouldn't we?' _Sasuke said to himself, not understanding where Ibiki was going with this.

Temari was the first to actually speak out.

"What, choose? What happens if we choose not to take the tenth question?" Temari yelled incredulously.

"If you choose not to take the tenth question, then your score be reduced to zero and you will fail. And of course, the same goes for your teammates as well." Ibiki answered casually.

"Choose, what do you mean? Of course we're going to choose to take the last question!" someone yelled out.

"Yeah, this is ridiculous! As if we had a choice!" someone else agreed.

"There is still one more rule, so don't make your decision just yet." Ibiki said.

'_Another one! Come on, just get over with already!' _Sakura thought nervously, hating the suspension.

"If you choose to take it, but answer incorrectly.....then you will have to give up your right to take the Chunin Exams and you will remain a Genin for the rest of your lives!" Ibiki announced to the candidates.

The tension in the room intensified times 10. There were gasps all around the room and others just stared wide eyed with their jaws gaping open in shock. Never before had they heard a stipulation such as that.

"What the hell kind of rule is that?" Kiba demanded, rising up from his chair and pointing an accusing finger at Ibiki at the front of the room. "Besides, there are some of us that have taken the Chunin Exams many times before!"

Ibiki, however, ignored Kiba's outburst and just began to chuckle evilly.

"You're just unlucky." Ibiki said after a moment "I make the rules this year I'm afraid. Although, I did give you the option of backing out, didn't I?"

Kiba faltered momentarily and sat back back down again, defeated.

"For those of you who aren't confident, you can still choose to back out, and take the exams next year or the year after that." Ibiki said, chuckling evilly afterwards.

'_I don't believe this! If one of the three chooses not to take the last question, then all three will be failed. If you do choose to take it, but get the wrong answer, then that person will be a Genin for the rest of their lives! Dammit, the odds are against us no matter what! This decision is impossible for anyone with normal nerves to make!' _Sakura said to herself angrily, slamming her fists down on the her desk harder and making the cracks that were made earlier grow larger.

Naruto formed his fingers into a triangle again, and began to think about what he should do in this hopeless situation. He had to decide on the best option carefully, for his entire future as a ninja depended on this one question. **(this is the hand seal Shikamaru makes when he does his Shadow Sewing Jutsu on Naruto Shippuden)**

"Now then, those of you who will not be taking the last question, please raise your hands!" Ibiki commanded in a calm voice. "Once I have confirmed your number, I will ask you and your team to leave immediately."

"_Alright, I have to really think about this one. If I get the last question wrong, I'll be a Genin for the rest of my life and I don't want that to happen. If I choose to back out, then Sasuke and Sakura will fail too and I don't want that either, even though we can take it again next year. Dammit, which do I choose! It's now or never!' _Naruto thought to himself frantically.

'_I won't raise my hand. I'm confident that I can answer it correctly' _Sakura decided to herself firmly. '_But....what about Naruto? I know that you cannot hear me, but Naruto, you should retreat this time, even if it means to ignore us and think of your next chance to take the exam.'_ Sakura added. She just couldn't think of herself on this one.

Suddenly, the boy who was sitting next to Sasuke raised his hand and stood up.

"I...I...I quit! I'm not going to take the last exam question!" the boy exclaimed nervously.

"Candidate #50, failed. Candidates #130 and #111 are failed also." an exam proctor called out.

The boy's teammates nodded and followed him as he walked out of the classroom. They would not hold it against him as they were starting to have second thoughts about going on as well.

As if starting a chain reaction once again, more and more candidates raised their hands to signal that they didn't want to take the last question and they wanted to back out.

"I want to back out" one candidate said.

"Me too" someone else called out.

"Me too" said someone else.

"And me also" said another candidate.

More people raised their hand all throughout the classroom, one after another. Team after team had their numbers confirmed and left the classroom in silence, some angry, some upset, and others happy to have the burden of having to choose lifted from their shoulders. As a result, the classroom became even emptier than it had been before, not to mention more spacious and brighter. Sakura, however, didn't even seem to notice the change. Her attention was focused on Naruto.

'_Naruto-kun, why don't you raise your hand? Why must you have a one track mind about being the Hokage one day? That's all you ever talk about, like a fool. (sighs) I'm sorry Naruto-kun. It seems like....I don't want to...crush you achievable dream, but if you get this question wrong, your dream of being Hokage will never come true. I'm sorry Naruto, but I can't let you let your life long dream slip away.' _Sakura thought as she got ready to raiser her hand. However, what happened next made her stop her hand before it could even get half way up in the air.

Naruto slowly raised his hand all the way up into the air, surprising Sakura, Sasuke, Hinata, and the rest of the nine rookies. Naruto was the one who had the most confidence out all of them, even more so than Sasuke, and he never ever gave up on anything. In fact, Naruto didn't even know the meaning of the words "quit" and give up". So to have him raise his hand and signal that he wanted to back out was a **huge** shock. While the other rookies gasped, Sasuke and Sakura were absolutely speechless.

As Naruto kept his hand raised in the air, it hovered there for a few seconds, before Naruto slammed it back down on the desk as hard as he could, the sound echoing throughout the entire, nearly-empty, classroom like a clap of thunder. Naruto then stood up from his chair and pointed an accusing finger at Ibiki, who stood at the head of the room.

"Don't underestimate me! I WILL NOT run!" Naruto hollered. "I'll take it! But even if I'm stuck being a Genin forever, I will become a Hokage no matter what it takes! I'm not scared!"

After saying what he wanted to say, Naruto sat back down and crossed his arms triumphantly. Sakura smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, as did Sasuke and the rest of the Rookie 9.

'_That dobe, he wasn't thinking of us at all. Such audacity that you could only expect from my Naru-chan' _Sasuke thought to himself as he gazed at Naruto.

'_That's right...that's the kind of fool you are. You keep on believing no matter what!' _Sakura thought to herself.

Ibiki once again cleared his throat and all attention was directed back on him.

"I'll say it again, it's a choice that will alter the rest of your life. If you want to quit, now is your chance!" Ibiki announced again.

"Sorry, but I'm not taking back my words. That is my nindo, my Ninja Way" Naruto said firmly with his arms still crossed.

The last remaining candidates felt a new-found confidence in themselves and the ones that were about to raise their hands stopped themselves and thought about Naruto's words. If Naruto, a rookie at that, was willing to risk his future as a ninja in order to reach his goal, then so would they for their own dreams. They put their hands down and sat at their desks with new confidence flowing through their veins. Even the other Rookies felt a new confidence overwhelm them.

'_Heh...what a funny kid, he blew everyone's anxieties away completely. Hmm, 78 teams are still left huh? That's a lot more than I would've expected. Something tells me it's going to be the same, no matter how much I push it.' _Ibiki thought. He looked over to the other proctors and received a nod of approval from each of them.

"I like your determination! Then, for the ones who are still here.....you all pass with flying colors!" Ibiki announced with a genuine smile on his face, catching all of the remaining candidates off guard completely, both by his announcement and his smile.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused beyond words.

"H-Hey, what does that mean?" Sakura demanded angrily as she stood up from her seat. "All of a sudden telling us that we passed! What about the tenth question?"

Ibiki only smiled wider and he even began to chuckle a little, except it wasn't evilly this time. It was actually more friendly, revealing Ibiki's true personality.

"There was never such a thing to begin with!" Ibiki announced sheepishly. "Although, you can look at the choice you just made as the tenth question!"

"What?" Sakura asked, completely baffled.

"Hey! Then what were all those 9 questions for?" Temari demanded angrily, drawing all attention to her. "It was just a big waste of time if the tenth question was all that mattered!"

"Well, not exactly a waste. The objective of the 9 questions was already accomplished." Ibiki replied. "They were meant to test your ability to gather information"

Temari's anger turned to confusion in only a split second.

"Ability to gather information?" she asked.

"I'll explain. First...the purpose of this test was on the system determining the pass or failure based on the three-person groups that was proposed in the first rule. By grading the exam on a group basis, I added the unimaginable pressure of dragging down your teammates." Ibiki explained.

"I see, I see. I kind of felt that was the point all along" Naruto said as he nodded his head.

Sakura nearly fell out of her chair at that one.

'_No you didn't. In fact, you didn't figure it out until later on during the test, ya blockhead' _Sakura thought to herself.

Hinata merely chuckled and glanced over at Naruto. She then looked back to the front as Ibiki began speaking again.

"However, the questions on these tests weren't things that you Genin Ninja should've been able to solve. So in that case, I imagined that most of you here would have come to this conclusion: "In order to score points, I'll have to cheat." In other words, this exam was created under the premise that you would all cheat! That being said, I had two Chunin in the group who knew all of the answers from whom you would cheat off of." Ibiki continued as the Chunin whom he had mentioned raised their hands to show themselves.

One of them was a boy directly in front of Naruto.

'_Man, this sucks. I could've just copied off of him without being caught easily. I didn't even need the chameleon in that case! Damn, I hate irony!' _Naruto thought to himself angrily.

"Man, it was so obvious! There's something wrong with you if you didn't figure it out right away, right Hinata?" Naruto said to Hinata playfully, who only blushed and nodded in response.

Sasuke, however, wasn't fooled.

'_He didn't notice. Figures he'd try to hide it, as lame as that cover up is' _Sasuke thought as he sweat dropped.

Naruto quieted down as Ibiki began speaking again.

"However, those who just foolishly cheated, were naturally disqualified." Ibiki explained as he removed his bandanna. "That's because...information, depending on the time and situation, will be more valuable than life! And in a mission or on a battlefield, you will always have to risk your life to fight for it!"

The entire room erupted in loud gasps as they stared at Ibiki's head. The part of Ibiki's head that had been covered by the bandanna was covered in a collection of burn marks, punctures from where screws were used, and long slash marks. The scars were indicative of the physical torture he had endured in the past, and illustrated his capacity to endure pain without giving up the desired information to the enemy. How he had managed to endure such pain and torture was beyond anyone else.

Everyone mostly just stared in absolute shock. They had never seen wounds like that before how this one man had endured that was anyone's guess.

"Horrible burn marks, puncture holes, and scratches....this guy has seen a lot in his time" Sasuke said out loud, more to himself than to anyone else.

After making sure that all attention was on him, Ibiki began to continue speaking.

"When information has been gathered and the enemy or third party find out about it, the information is no longer guaranteed to be correct." Ibiki said as he put his bandanna back on. "Just remember this: To be given the wrong information can bring a catastrophic blow to your friends and town. So that is why, out of necessity, we forced you guys to cheat in order to test your ability to collect information. And we filtered out those who were lacking in those abilities."

"But...the last question still didn't make any sense" Temari pointed out.

"Actually, it did. This tenth question was the main issue of the first exam." Ibiki answered.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto

"I'll explain. The tenth question was to take on the question, or not. Needless to say, it is a painful decision to make. Those who chose not to take on the question would be immediately failed along with their entire squad! Those who chose to answer, but got it wrong....would be robbed of taking the Chunin Selection Exams forever. Honestly, it really is an unfair question." Ibiki explained.

"Then how about these two choices? Lets say that you guys did become Chunin. The mission is to steal a secret document. You have no idea how many ninja the enemy has, their abilities, and other weapons they have. On top of that, there may be the pitfall of an enemy trap. Now this mission....will you take it or not? Because you want your life spared....because you partners will be put in danger....Can you get away from dangerous missions? The answer is....no! There are going to be missions that you cannot avoid, no matter how dangerous or how risky it may be! Showing you courage to your teammates in a tight spot, and the ability to get through the hardships....This is the quality that is needed in a Chunin troop leader!

"In a pinch, there are those who cannot risk their own fate and those who waver and give up their chances because they think they will have another chance. I believe that such fools who don't have strong determination have no right to become a Chunin! For those of you who chose to take on the question, you can successfully say that you have answered the difficult tenth question! You shall be able to take on the adversity that may lie in your way. You've all passed through the gates! The first exam for the Chunin Exams has been completed. I wish you well." Ibiki finished.

"Hell yeah, wish us well!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "I did, I did it, yeah!"

Ibiki chuckled.

'_What a funny guy.' _he thought to himself.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ibiki saw a dark shape heading straight for him from outside. The dark object burst through the window, surprising everyone in the classroom except for Ibiki and the other proctors.

The dark object, revealed to be a ball shape, uncurled itself right as it got in the middle of the front of the room, right in front of Ibiki. Two kunai shot up to the ceiling, one to the left and one to the right, pinning the banner up. In the front of the banner stood a woman with light brown, pupil-less eyes and violet hair, which was done up in a short, somewhat spiky ponytail. She wore a tan overcoat, complete with a fitted chain mail body suit that stretched from her neck down to her thighs. The chain mail seemed to be somewhat transparent, since her body could be seen underneath. She wore a dark orange skirt, as well as a forehead protector, a small pendant, and shin guard.

"You guys! This isn't a time to be celebrating! I'm the proctor for the second part of the exams, Anko Mitarashi! Now then, let's move on to the next stage!" the woman identified as Anko announced. However, only the female candidates seemed to hear her because most the male candidates were too busy staring at Anko's considerably large tits. They weren't nearly as big as Tsunade's, but they were still significantly large.

'_Damn_. _I've gotta admit, that woman has a pretty nice rack'_ Kankuro thought pervertedly while smirking and putting his feet ontop of his desk, throwing his hands behind his head as he did so.

Ibiki peeked out from the behind the banner.

"Read the atmosphere Anko" Ibiki said, causing Anko to blush and give him a sarcastic look.

'_This proctor....is kind of like Naruto' _Sakura thought as she stared at the strange woman.

Not being able to think of a comeback, Anko cleared her throat and blushed slightly darker as she closed her trench coat so that her DDD size tits were not showing as much, and turned her attention to the class and did the math silently in her head.

"Let's here.....78! You let 26 teams slide by Ibiki! I guess the first exam this time around was too easy" Anko pointed out.

"Apparently it hasn't occurred to you that maybe there are a lot of excellent candidates this time" Ibiki said.

"Huh? Well, alright....I'll drop more than half of them in the second part!" Anko said with creepy anticipation.

"M-More than half?" Sakura stuttered, not liking this proctor immediately.

"I have to admit, I'm getting excited" Anko said eerily. "I'll give you the details as we go along. For right now, everyone follow me!"

* * *

15 minutes after the class followed Anko out of the room, Ibiki went around the classroom and began to collect the test papers. As he went along, Ibiki finally came to Naruto's test paper and he remembered how Naruto had summoned that strange looking chameleon. In all his years, he had never seen a chameleon like that so he assumed it must've been an ability of the Rinnegan. He had watched it from the moment it was summoned all the way up until it had turned invisible.

'_That Naruto Uzumaki....what a funny guy indeed.' _Ibiki thought with a chuckle.

**Okay, I'll end the chapter here. The second part of the exams will start in the next chapter. I thank you all for staying with me for this long nd please don't forget to review and tell me what you think.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, the entire Naruto series would be rewritten in my version of it.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 23**

The sun shone high and bright in the clear, blue, cloudless sky. The birds were chirping overhead and a cool breeze would blow through every now and then, making the grass and flowers sway back and forth. All of this Naruto noticed as he and the other remaining candidates walked with Anko to the next stage for the second part of the Chunin Exams. They had been walking for 20 minutes now and the whole group was abuzz with chatter, mostly nervous chatter. They didn't know what to expect for this one. The first part was bad enough, but now they were moving on to something completely different. Also, Anko's remark about dropping more than half of their numbers still had the candidates pretty jumpy and ready for just about anything.

'_It's so beautiful today. If we didn't have these exams, I'd probably be laying in the grass at the park right now enjoying the cool breeze. Oh well, I guess I'll have time for that later. On the other hand, I wonder what we'll have to do this time? I just hope it's something simple and doesn't require much work. Crap, now I sound just like Shikamaru!' _Naruto thought to himself as he followed the others. The blonde was brought out of his thoughts by a tap on his shoulder.

"Naruto, didn't you hear me? I said your name three times" Sasuke said.

Naruto shook his head. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he'd had no idea Sasuke had been calling him.

"Oh...uh..no. Sorry, I was thinking about something else. What ere you saying again?" Naruto stammered.

"I was asking if you were nervous about this yet" Sasuke said.

"Nervous? I don't know the meaning of that word. I mean, I can take on anyone here and I'm prepared for anything these exams have to offer. So no, I'm not nervous. I don't have anything to really be nervous about. Why, are you having second thoughts teme" Naruto asked, saying the last part sarcastically.

"In your dreams dobe." Sasuke said with a smirk. Like always, Naruto was still confident and in high spirits.

After walking for a few minutes longer, the large group, led by Anko, finally stopped at a cage fence. Inside the fence appeared to be what looked like a jungle. There were tall, scary looking trees and eerie growls and shrieks coming from within and many of the candidates were already beginning to have second thoughts and they were wishing they had of just backed out when they had the chance. Others were praying that, by some miracle, they wouldn't be taking the second part of the exams here. This was further intensified when they saw a giant centipede crawl up a tree and a giant snake swallow a bird whole with one gulp.

"There's something kind of creepy about this place." Sakura said as she took a s few steps back cautiously.

Anko, however, chuckled darkly.

"Good, this place **should **give you the creeps. It's called the Forest of Death after all, and you'll later find out why" she said.

While everyone else tensed at hearing Anko's words, Naruto merely became irritated.

"It's called the Forest of Death and later you'll find out why" Naruto said in an annoying, high pitched, whiny voice as he mocked Anko. "Listen here lady, you're not going to scare me away!! I can handle anything!!"

Anko merely stared for a moment before chuckling softly.

"Well well, it appears we have a tough guy" Anko said in a strangely cheerful tone.

Suddenly Anko's expression turned dark and she pulled a kunai from her sleeve and flung it at Naruto with incredible speed. However, Naruto easily caught it with two fingers and discarded it aside, surprising both Anko and the other candidates. Anko quickly got over her shock, however, and threw another kunai. This one whizzed by Naruto's cheek and embedded itself in the ground after shooting past a female grass ninja, going through her hair in the process. The fabric of Naruto's mask tore and a small cut appeared on his cheek. Anko then moved with blazing speed and seemed to teleport behind Naruto in a split second.

"Kids like you always die at the very beginning. They always leave their delicious blood splattered all over this forest." Anko said as she began to lick the drops of blood off of Naruto's cheeks as they fell from the cut. "What's the matter, you're not scared are you?"

As Anko moved in for another lick, Naruto suddenly burst into a flock of crows who began to caw angrily as they circled ominously above her head, catching Anko off guard and forcing her to take a few steps back. As if Naruto bursting into a flock of crows wasn't surprising enough, Anko noticed that the crows all had Rinnegan eyes instead of normal eyes.

'_These crows....aren't normal' _Anko thought to herself. She noticed that no matter how hard she tried to look away, she couldn't. It was as though she was caught in some kind of trance from staring directly into the Rinnegan.

Suddenly, Anko felt cool metal pressed against her throat. It didn't take her long to recognize it as a kunai. Still being unable to move her body, Anko moved her eyes to the side to look behind her and saw that it was Naruto. Anko couldn't help but inwardly smirk in appreciation of his skills.

"I meant what I said before. You can't scare me and I was trained to handle any situation by Kakashi Hatake, believe it" Naruto said triumphantly. He had to admit, he even impressed himself with this one.

Suddenly sensing a presence behind him, Naruto pulled out a custom made kunai and spun around to face the stalker behind him while still holding Anko at knife point with the other hand. Naruto was surprised to see the female grass ninja standing behind him. The woman had long brownish, black hair, tan skin, wore a straw hat, and had black eyes. She also wore a forehead protector around her head that had a picture of grass engraved on the front, meaning she was a shinobi from Kusagakure, the Village Hidden in the Grass. But what really got Naruto's attention was the woman's tongue. It was unnaturally long and she was using it offer Naruto back the two kunai that Anko had thrown.

"Easy boy, I'm just returning Anko's kunai" the grass ninja said in a raspy voice that made Naruto feel uneasy, but he didn't show it on the outside.

"Oh, well thank you for going through all the trouble" Naruto said as he put his kunai away and took the ones that the grass ninja was giving back.

Instead of walking away, however, the female grass ninja continued to hover closely behind Naruto and seemed to glare at him strangely. Naruto noticed this and glared back, his Rinnegan eyes narrowing menacingly. If this ninja was trying to intimidate someone, she had chosen the wrong person. Now Naruto was a nice guy, but he wasn't about to be intimidated by this bitch with a staring problem, not today, not **ever**.

"Listen, I appreciate you giving back Anko's sensei kunai and everything...but if you continue to hover behind me like that....you'll meet a premature death, believe it" Naruto said as his voice lowered to a threatening tone, his killing intent coming off of him in waves, causing some of the other candidates to take a few steps back.

"My pardon dear boy. With the sight of blood and Anko's blade slicing through my hair, I'm afraid I became a little excited. Rest assured, I meant you no harm" the female grass ninja said, letting out a small chuckle before walking away to rejoin her squad.

'_Man, I thought the forest itself was creepy, but these guys are even creepier.' _Sakura thought to herself as the grass ninja walked past her.

Naruto merely glared some more before putting away both kunai and releasing Anko from the paralysis jutsu.

"Sorry about that Anko sensei, but I had to defend myself" Naruto said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it kid. That's what you're supposed to do in that kind of situation" Anko replied as she lightly rubbed her throat, still feeling the cool metal even though it was no longer there.

'_I see. That kid is not to be taken lightly. He may appear naive and hyperactive, but he's capable of killing in cold blood at a moments notice. And his killing intent isn't even human, not to mention his speed. I haven't seen speed like that since the 4th Hokage. In fact, this kid may even be faster than the 4th, not to mention smarter, seeing as how he remained one step ahead of me the entire time. And his jutsu speed is something else entirely. Not only does he know the Crow Clone Jutsu, but he was even able to replace himself in a split second without anyone seeing him make the hand seal and then he rose up from the ground behind me. He even used a paralysis jutsu to hold me still. Heh, I suppose the stories I've heard about him are true then, those eyes of his really **are **hypnotic. I was already caught with just one glance. The others had better watch out for this one or it'll be their ass. This kid even looks dangerous. Speaking of which, this kid is kind of cute. If he were more my age, I'd probably go out with him.' _Anko thought to herself as he looked at Naruto for a few seconds. She then noticed that the crows overhead had suddenly disappeared. When, she didn't know.

"Hmm, it seems like everyone today is quick tempered. There must be something in the air. Either way, this is going to be fun." Anko said with a sadistic smile as she watched the grass ninja return to her squad. '_It's probably because the Rinnegan Master is here. This kid had better be prepared because everyone is going to want a piece of him.'_

After glancing at Naruto one last time, Anko then walked forward to stand in front of the cage fence once again.

"Now before we begin this test, I have something to hand out to you all." Anko said as she reached into her inside coat pocket and pulled out a thick stack of papers. The papers appeared to be forms of some sort.

"Don't worry, it's just a standard consent form." Anko said as she held them up for all to see. All she got was a bunch of blank stares. "Before the test, all of you are going to have to read over this form and sign on the dotted line."

"What for?" Naruto asked.

"Well, some of you may not come back from this test and I have to get your consent to that risk. Otherwise it would be my responsibility!" Anko said before laughing as though she had just made the funniest joke in the world. Whispering and quiet chatter began to erupt among the candidates as everyone began to question Anko's mental state of mind.

"Now, I'll explain what you'll be doing as this test. Here, pass these out first" Anko said as she handed the stack of forms to Naruto. Naruto took one and then passed the rest down. As the process repeated, Anko began to speak.

"Now, the first thing you need to know is that this test will test all of your survival skills." Anko announced.

'_(sighs) Survival skills, what a drag' _Shikamaru thought as he received a form.

"First, I'll give you all a description of the terrain on the practice field" Anko said as he pulled out a scroll and unraveled it. On the scroll was a map of the Forest of Death and in the center of the forest, there appeared to be some kind of tower.

"The 44th training zone, known as the Forest of Death, has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside. In the center is a locked tower, located 10 kilometers from each entrance gate. It's in this confined area that you'll undergo the survival test. The test consists of.....an "anything goes--battle to the death" to get your hands on these two scrolls, an "Earth" scroll and a "Heaven" scroll." Anko explained as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out two scrolls, a white one and a blue one. The blue scroll had the kanji for "Earth" written on it and the white scroll had the kanji for "Heaven" written on it.

"We're competing for both of them?" Kabuto asked.

"Yes. Altogether, 26 teams will be taking part in this test. So with that being said, half of the teams will be going after the "heaven" scroll and the other half will be going after the "earth" scroll. I'll hand over one kind of scroll to each team and **that **is what you will be fighting for." Anko continued.

"Okay, so how do we pass the test?" Sasuke asked, his hand resting on his sword.

"Simple, your entire squad must bring both a "heaven" scroll and an "earth" scroll to the tower." Anko answered.

"But that mean that, at the very best, half of the teams will fail. Or possibly more if either team is unable to get both of the scrolls" Sakura pointed out.

"Well what do you expect? No one ever said it would be easy." Anko replied. "One more thing: the test has a time limit. You must finish it in 5 days."

"5 days out there!!!?" Ino exclaimed, flabbergasted.

"What are we supposed to do for food!!?" Choji questioned, just as flabbergasted as Ino.

"Just look around, the Forest of Death is full of things to eat. There's more than enough to feed all of you" Anko replied calmly.

"Yeah, but that's not all the forest has plenty of. There are man-eating beasts and poisonous plants in there too." Kabuto pointed out.

"Awww man, screw this!" Choji pouted, not in the mood to deal with this right now.

"Stop your whining! This **is **called survival for a reason you know" Ino scolded.

Neji Hyuga, who had been listening intently, pondered what had just been said before speaking.

"That means, with these circumstances, there's no way half the teams will be able to pass the test." Neji pointed out.

"Also, with the days getting longer, the nights are getting shorter. So we have less time to sleep and a short time to recover" Rock Lee pointed out. "It is a challenge indeed!"

Sasuke had also been listening and was now starting to put it all together.

"We'll be completely surrounded by enemies at all times. Meaning there won't be time to rest and we'll have to keep a constant watch." Sasuke pointed out also.

"Right. This test also measures endurance behind enemy lines. This is designed to be a grueling test, and I'm sure some of you simply won't be up to the challenge." Anko said.

Seeing a possible way out of this, Shikamaru quickly raised his hand, getting Anko's attention.

"Yes, you right there" Anko said as she pointed to Shikamaru.

"So, let's say midway through the exam, can we quit if we don't feel like participating?" Shikamaru asked.

"Of course not. In the middle of heated battle, you can't say "sorry, I quit". Anko said. "On the other hand, you probably could do that, but it'd probably get you killed also."

"Well that's just perfect." Shikamaru lazily replied, being sarcastic. "This is going to be a total drag, I just know it."

Ino simply rolled her eyes. She had become used to Shikamaru's laziness by now and it hardly bothered her anymore.

"Also, there are ways that you can get disqualified. The first is simple: if all three teammates can't make it to the tower with both scrolls in 5 days, you fail. #2: If a team loses a member, or if a teammate becomes incapacitated and cannot continue, you fail." Anko said, holding up two fingers.

"But most importantly, none of you, absolutely none of you, may look at the contents of the scrolls until you have reached the tower." Anko added.

"What if it just happens to flap open and you read it?" Naruto asked.

"Let me put it this way for you kid: you...don't...want...to....know" Anko said, saying each word individually and causing Naruto to groan in frustration.

"Don't give me that! Sometimes, a ninja will be asked to carry secret documents. The scroll rule is to simply test your integrity. With that being said, we're done. Each team, take your consent forms and exchange them over there for your scrolls." Anko instructed, pointing to a booth on the right. "After that, each team pick a gate and you'll be led inside."

After Anko had finished speaking, the teams all exchanged nervous glances as they looked around, silently deciding which gate they would take. However, they were all interrupted from their thoughts at the sound of Anko's voice once again.

"Oh, and I have one more word of advice: just don't die!!" Anko added, although more like commanded, her voice raising a few octaves.

Before the test actually began, the candidates were given a few minutes to rest and decide as a team on which gate they would enter in. Currently, Sasuke was sitting beside of a very large rock with his consent form clutched tightly in his hands as he watched the guys in charge of the scroll booth. They were covering the front of a booth with a thick red curtain.

'_So that's how it is. We won't know which team has which scroll and we won't know which team member is carrying the scroll either. Very well thought out. Stealing information is really a matter of life and death here. I guess it's just like Ibiki said: everyone is equally determined to pass, and therefore, they are all my enemies.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he looked around at the other candidates and narrowed his eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sakura had been wandering around, looking over her consent form, before an annoyingly familiar voice caught her attention, forcing her to look up.

"Well well well, if it isn't the little future failure. What's up, billboard brow? I figured you would've been washed out of the program by now. Your big ass forehead alone should've gotten you tossed." Ino said as she made fun of Sakura like she always did.

Instead of getting mad, Sakura merely smirked.

"That's so sad. You're jealous because I get to spend 5 whole days with Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun and it's clearly turning you into someone very petty and ugly. Although, you were already ugly to begin with!" Sakura shot back.

A vein popped out above Ino's eyebrow and the two girls began to argue back and forth, calling each other every nasty name they could think of, including a few new ones while at the same time unleashing their intent to kill, which was freaking out both Shikamaru and Choji.

"ENOUGH!! Give it up already Sakura! You and I both know that you don't have what it takes to pass this test!" Ino hollered.

"Yeah right! You're the one that's going down you pig faced little bitch!!" Sakura retorted nastily.

The two glared hatefully at each other before abruptly turning away from each other and walking away, allowing Shikamaru and Choji to let out the breaths that they had been holding in unknowingly.

"I'm sure glad they didn't turn on **us **this time. Why are they always like that to each other?" Choji asked.

"Like I give a rat's ass. Who care about that stuff anyway?" Shikamaru replied lazily.

* * *

Naruto was wandering around and looking over his consent form when he noticed Sasuke sitting over by a large boulder. Smiling, he walked over and sat beside of the Uchiha.

"Hey teme, you ready for the test?" Naruto asked before pulling down his mask and planting a kiss on Sasuke's cheek.

"Of course I'm ready dobe. In fact, I wish they'd hurry up and start already, I'm ready to get this over with anyway" Sasuke replied before planting a kiss of his own on Naruto's cheek. After pulling back as Naruto pulled his mask back up, Sasuke noticed that the cut on Naruto's cheek was gone completely. In fact, the fabric wasn't even torn anymore.

"Hey dobe, how did that cut heal so fast and why isn't your mask still torn?" Sasuke asked.

"Because **I **didn't get cut, the crow clone did. You see crow clones are different from normal shadow clones. It takes more than a cut on the cheek to make a crow clone disperse whereas a shadow clone would've dispersed immediately. I switched myself with the crow clone a few seconds before Anko sensei threw the second kunai." Naruto explained. "But even if I had of actually been cut, the cut still would've already healed."

"How?" Sasuke asked, intrigued.

"The Kyuubi would've healed it. You see, my fate is the Kyuubi's fate. If I die, then the Kyuubi dies as well. So to preserve it's life, it automatically heals any injury I sustain. So I can basically survive almost anything." Naruto said.

"Oh" was Sasuke's reply while smiling. It wasn't a smirk this time, but a genuine smile. Naruto just continued to surprise him each day and Sasuke had to be the luckiest guy in the world to have him.

"Alright everyone, we're going to start handing out scrolls!!" an exam proctor called out, alerting all the candidates who had been waiting around. Like sheep, the candidates flocked to the scroll booth and made a single file line. One by One, they were called in to receive their scroll.

After what seemed like hours, but really only a few minutes, Squad 7 was called in. After Naruto handed the proctors all 3 consent forms and told them which gate they wanted, they were then given a white scroll, the scroll of "Heaven".

'_Oh yeah, this test is in the bag' _Naruto thought to himself while smirking under his mask.

After all teams had been given their scroll, Anko looked at her watch and decided that it was time to begin. They had wasted more time than they needed to already.

"Listen up!! Since all teams have received their scroll, it's now time for the test to begin. Everyone, go to your gates and await for the signal to enter!" Anko announced. "When the gates open, the second part of the Chunin Selection Exams will begin immediately!!

All teams nodded and began to walk to the gates that they had decided upon.

* * *

A few minutes later, Squad 8 stood outside gate #16 and waited to be let in. Kiba, of course, was wired with energy and was just about ready to break down the cage gate himself if he had to wait any longer. That was no exaggeration, he'd actually do it, being who he was.

"YAHOOOO!! Survival is our forte! Kiba hollered, pumping his fist in the air. "Hinata, just a word of advice: don't show your weakness and believe in yourself. Shino...you just follow my lead, okay."

Hinata shyly muttered an okay while Shino simply stared ahead and said nothing at at all.

* * *

Squad 10 waited by gate #27. Each member was not very enthusiastic about participating and they doubted they would be able to pass this time. They would actually have to fight this time, something they didn't want to do, and they had no idea how they were going to get through 5 days of this, let alone how they were going to at least rest or get any sleep. They did have a plan though, they'd be patient and go after the weakest team. They wouldn't have to put forth much effort and it was the only thing they could think of, also, the easiest way possible. If they came across a stronger team, then they would rely on ambush. But honestly, it would take a miracle for them to pass this damn thing.

'_Survival huh? It's a pain, but we have to do this.' _Shikamaru thought to himself. "Okay look, since we're actually going to do this, we need to get one thing straight: avoid Naruto's team at all costs. After that little "episode" back at the academy, I don't even want to think about what else he can do. Not to mention that I'm not to enthusiastic about seeing what Sasuke and Sakura can do also."

Despite Shikamaru's words of advice, only Ino had been listening. Choji was currently eating a small bag of garlic flavored potato chips and was instead thinking about what he would eat once the test actually started. Once he got like this, he became completely oblivious to the world around him and the only thing on his mind was food, how he would get it, and where it would come from. He was so wrapped up in his gluttonous thoughts that he hadn't heard a word of what Shikamaru had said.

"Let's see, for snacks, I bought an extra pair of potato chips and a few shortcakes. I wonder if there are any small rodents in the forest? If there are, we can kill and cook a few of those too. I wonder how some of the plants taste? I know, I'll use some of those as herbs for flavoring! Yes, that's perfect!" Choji said to himself, unknowingly thinking out loud.

Ino was currently standing with her hands on her hips and was giving her two teammates a look that said "are you kidding me?". Honestly, it was a wonder how Squad 10 managed to function. In Asuma's words, it was composed of a glutton (Choji), a loud mouth (Ino), and a slacker (Shikamaru). Neither teammate seemed compatible with the other and it was a mystery regarding why the team hadn't fallen apart yet. Despite how the members seemed to contradict the other, the team actually had the best combination. If ever faced with considerably strong opponents, the three could work together to bind them. Ino uses her Mind Body Switch Technique to control one of the opponents. Shikamaru binds the opponent with his shadow. Chōji generally provides the offensive with the Human Bullet Tank Technique, but can also limit the opponent's movement with the Partial Multi-Size Technique. The team worked extremely well together, and surprisingly, even their parents were on the same team back in the day. So, go figure.

"Honestly, I can't believe you guys sometimes." Ino said while shaking her head disapprovingly. "I hope our parents didn't have this problem"

* * *

Squad 7 awaited by gate #12. Out of all of the teams, they were the most anxious. Each of them wanted to show their skills and they had trained for this very occasion: survival and combat. Their sensei's had tested them heavily on this and now the moment had finally arrived. They may have only been rookies, but they were Chunin level rookies and they were more than happy to prove it.

"Okaaay! I won't lose! I'll bring down whoever comes near me!!" Naruto exclaimed as he did a little shadow boxing to get his blood boiling for the upcoming fights.

"Yes, let's do it" Sakura agreed, giving a nod of approval. She was still a little nervous about going through with this, but she was willing to put that aside and give it her best shot. Otherwise, all that training she did would've been for nothing.

"Hn" was Sasuke's only reply. He was as anxious as Naruto and Sakura, but he took it all in stride. He stood there, calm and collected as he waited for the gates to open. Whatever thoughts or feelings Sasuke may have had right then, were completely hidden by his emotionless mask. After the murder of his clan, Sasuke had found it necessary to suppress his emotions and his true motives, just as Itachi had always done. This would keep the enemy guessing and it made Sasuke damn near unreadable. Even Naruto had trouble reading the raven sometimes. The only indication that Sasuke was even "at home" at that moment was the famous Uchiha smirk that was plastered on his face.

All around the the caged fence, the teams stood at their gates, anxious to start and jump into action. As they waited, they went over their targets in their heads. They figured that it would be easiest to attack the rookies first, but at the same time, they wanted a challenge. While fighting the rookies would be considered child's play, one rookie came to mind: Naruto Uzumaki. Sure they had all witnessed his power first hand back at room 301, but that just made them all the more anxious to challenge him. After all, defeating the Rinnegan Master would put them on the spot and earn them great respect. The problem, however, was fighting him and living to tell about it. This came from the fact that nobody knew exactly what the Rinnegan was capable of, but of course, they would just have to wait and find out during the test.

They didn't have to wait long, because after only 5 minutes of waiting, the exam proctor stationed at each gate pulled out a small key and unlocked the gate, allowing the candidates access. Like water rushing in through a broken dam, the candidates poured in, leaped up into the trees of the Forest of Death, and bounded off in search of the other participants. Their main focus was the Rinnegan Master, but if they ran into other teams along the way, then that was just as good. It gave them the opportunity to gather more scrolls and they wanted to make sure that as few teams passed as possible.

And with that, the second part of the Chunin Selection Exams had finally begun.

* * *

Team Guy bounded from tree to tree at a steady pace, on the lookout for any other candidates as they went along. They were in no rush, as they had 5 days to get to the tower. At least, Neji and Tenten were in no rush. Rock Lee, however, was a different story entirely. He was ahead of both of his teammates and was picking up more speed as he went along. Eventually, Neji and Tenten had to struggle in order to keep up. They knew that Lee was anxious to jump into action, but not this anxious.

"Lee, slow down! We just started!" Neji yelled, having trouble keeping up with Lee's speed.

"I know. But....I can't stay still! Who knows what kind of powerful foe is waiting for us?!" Lee replied with great enthusiasm. He felt so alive at that moment he was itching to find a powerful opponent to fight against and test his skills.

Neji sighed.

"That hot-blooded fool...." Neji said with a smirk. This was just typical Lee being Lee, like always. Even after being on a team with Lee for 2 years now, he still couldn't believe the boy's energy. It was as though he was a battery that was always fully charged and full of energy to be used.

* * *

Squad 10 moved cautiously through the bushes and undergrowth. So far, they had managed to make it without being spotted or running into other teams. They had planned to hide and wait somewhere for a team to pass by and then they would jump out in an ambush. So however, they had not found a good hiding place. They had reached a clearing and decided that that would be their trap. Shikamaru took the lead and peeked out from behind a tree. After looking around and making sure the area was clear, Shikamaru signaled with his fingers to his teammates and they all moved in, except for Choji that is.

Choji sat down and opened up another bag of chips, this time the flavor being salt and vinegar, and began to munch on them. In Choji's mind, he had traveled enough and decided that it was time for a little break. He'd figured he'd earned it after all. His teammates, however, thought differently.

"Choji, what the hell are you doing?!" Ino loudly whispered when she looked back and saw that Choji was chowing down instead of following her and Shikamaru.

"Nothing. I'm just taking a little break. I'm already tired, and hungry..." Choji said, letting his voice trail off as he munched on his chips.

Shikamaru sighed.

"Choji, are you serious right now? It hasn't even been five minutes since we started and you already taking a break....man, and I thought I was lazy." Shikamaru said while rubbing the back of his neck.

Choji turned away from his teammates and continued to munch hungrily on his chips.

"Well I can't help it if I get hungry. I'm a growing boy after all" Choji argued with a mouthful of chips.

Ino let out a frustrated grown.

"Dammit Choji! If you were able to bring snacks, then you should have been able to bring at least one kunai" Ino said while pulling out a kunai knife to prove her point.

Choji, however, didn't seem to hear her as he continued to happily stuff his face. Suddenly, Shikamaru sensed three chakra signatures approaching them and fast.

"Ino, somebody is coming! Hide!" Shikamaru said.

Ino didn't need to be told twice as she dove into the bushes and out of sight. Shikamaru grabbed Choji by his scarf and pulled his chubby teammate into the bushes in the nick of time. For no sooner had they hidden themselves when a team of Hidden Waterfall shinobi landed in the clearing.

"I could've sworn I had heard noises over here." one of them said as he looked around.

"Well nobody's here now and none of us heard anything except for you. Maybe your nerves are getting the better of you." his teammate replied.

"Yeah, well who asked you?" the first boy said angrily as he continued to look around.

Shikamaru stayed hidden and listened in as the boys argued over whether or not they had heard something in this area. Shikamaru was about to breathe a sigh of relief at not being discovered when he noticed one of Choji's chips right by a boy's foot.

'_Aww damn. If he steps on that, they'll know that someone was here and then they'll search in these bushes. If that happens, we're finished, unless....' _Shikamaru thought to himself, letting his thought voice trail off as he pictured what would happen if they were caught. With nothing else to do, Shikamaru prayed that they wouldn't be found until they were ready to strike.

Shikamaru's prayer fell on deaf ears, for as the boy took a step back, his foot landed directly on the chip, making a loud sounding crunch. It wasn't really that loud, but to Shikamaru and the rest of Squad 10, it sounded like a land mine had just gone off.

The boys immediately turned around and looked down at the broken chip.

"What the hell? It's a chip" one of the boys said as he bent down and picked up a large broken piece and ate it. "Salt and vinegar too"

"Then that means somebody was here and probably still is. Everybody search the bushes!" the first boy said, obviously the leader.

'_Damn it...alright then, time for plan B' _Shikamaru thought to himself as he made a hand seal. '_Ninja Art: Shadow Possession Jutsu'_

Shikamaru's shadow came to life at that moment and branched out from Shikamaru's position. As the boys moved closer to the bushes, Shikamaru's shadow slithered forward and absorbed into the shadow of the three boys.

"Hey, I can't move! What the hell kind of trick is this?!" one of the boys cried out in surprise.

"Choji, do it now!" Shikamaru yelled.

Choji jumped out from within the bushes and made a hand seal.

"Multi Size Jutsu: Human Boulder!" Choji yelled. Suddenly, Choji's body expanded until he was bigger than a house and as rounded as a bowling ball. After tucking in his arms, legs and head, Choji then began to rapidly spin forward, kicking up large clumps of dirt behind him. Like a bullet, Choji shot forward with a burst of speed and quickly ran over the helpless boys, cratering them into the ground as he went along. Shikamaru canceled the Shadow Possession Jutsu as he and Ino emerged from the bushes and walked over to the three, now unconscious, boys. After Choji rejoined them, Squad 10 began to search the three boys and their belongings in search of the team's scroll. After only a few minutes of searching, Squad 10 found the said object, but were disappointed to discover that it was an "Earth" scroll. Squad 10 already had an "Earth" scroll, so this scroll was useless.

"Damn, we'll just have to wait until another team comes by. Choji, help me get these guys away from here before they wake up" Shikamaru instructed. Choji nodded, and after helping Shikamaru carry the boys a good distance away from the clearing, the two boys rejoined Ino and hid back in the bushes in await of the next team to pass by.

* * *

On the other side of the forest, Squad 8 stood in a clearing, going over their attack strategies and plans for obtaining an "Earth" scroll. Unknown to them, a shinobi squad from the Hidden Rain Village was watching their every move and listening in on their entire conversation while smirking to themselves at the kids' stupidity of standing out in the open.

"Anyway, the tower is the goal for everyone, right? So it would be clever for us to make a trap in the vicinity of the tower" Kiba said, arguing his point across with his team. Kiba was about to say more when he suddenly sniffed the air and got wind of the Rain shinobi that were watching them. "Okay.....wasting no time, huh?"

"Where are they?" Shino asked, becoming aware of the Rain ninjas' presence also.

"I'm not quite sure, but their there. I can smell them" Kiba replied.

Meanwhile, the Rain shinobi continued to watch Squad 8 from above in the trees. They knew that had been discovered, but as long as Squad 8 had not located their position, then they were safe for now.

"Heh, kids. It's like begging to be found, standing in that conspicuous place like that." the leader of the squad said.

"It seems that they've sensed our presence, but evidently, they haven't grasped where we are" his teammate pointed out.

Before the leader of the squad could reply back, an object dropped from the canopy and landed in the back his shirt. The boy immediately stiffened as all the color drained from his face. This didn't go unnoticed by his two teammates.

"Hey are you okay? You look awfully pale." the third member asked.

The leader didn't answer. Instead, the back of his shirt collar fell down enough to reveal a large red leech on the back of his neck, sucking out his blood and making slurping sounds as it did so. The remaining two Rain shinobi backed up in alarm.

"Whoa! W-What the hell is that thing?!" the second squad member cried out.

The two didn't have to wait long for their answer as more red leeches rained down from the sky in a downpour. With in seconds, the Rain shinobi were covered from head to toe in red leeches, who began suck out their blood upon contact with their victims. Caught completely off guard, the Rain shinobi tripped over each other and fell from their position in the trees, landing a few feet in front of Squad 8. Smirking, Kiba casually walked over to them.

"I can see you've met our little friends. Their called the Flying Leeches of the Leaf Village. These little buggers can sense the body temperature and perspiration of their prey, then swoop down enmasse **on **said prey. And here's the real kicker: if they suck your blood for at least five minutes, you earn a one way trip to the other world. Utilizing this behavior, we set a trap on the path enemies would use to escape. Honestly though, I'd say we did a pretty good job." Kiba explained arrogantly.

The leader of the Rain shinobi squad began to stand back up on his feet, pulling some of the leeches off of him, while glaring daggers at Kiba.

"D-Darn it....you little shit! You're so dead!" he said, furious that he had been outsmarted by a bunch of rookies.

But before he could make a move forward to attack Kiba and the others, Kiba slipped his foot under the trip wire the enemy had landed on, and pulled back towards himself. That simple action activated a net that hoisted the Rain shinobi team, and the leeches that were still attached to them, up into the air. Kiba looked up and smirked at his prey as they struggled to get free.

"That's one team down. All we have to do now is wait for them to die from blood loss and then we'll take their scroll." Kiba said confidently.

As the Rain shinobi hung there in the net, with leeches sucking away more and more of their blood with each passing second, they did the only thing they could do in the situation: scream their asses off.

Their screams were so loud that they echoed throughout the entire forest. They could even be heard from the outside, causing Anko to smile in delight as the glorious sound reached her ears.

"It sounds like they've already begun to slaughter each other." the purple haired woman said with a sadistic smirk.

* * *

Squad 7 was making their way cautiously along the forest floor on the lookout for any other candidates that might cross their path. So far they had not seen or heard anything, and strangely, that was what puzzled them. It was **too **quiet. They had not so much as heard a twig crack since they had started, and for now, the forest was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Honestly though, the silence was starting to get to them and Squad 7 was now wishing that there was at least a little noise, something to let them know that they were not the only ones in the whole forest.

They didn't have to wait long for their wish to come true because the silence was shattered by the ear-piercing screams of the Rain shinobi team that had been captured by Squad 8. Naruto and Sasuke tensed up while Sakura almost jumped out of her skin as she frantically looked around, desperate to find the source of the horrible screams.

"Wasn't that someone screaming just now?" Sakura asked worriedly. "I mean, you guys heard it too right?"

"Yeah, we heard it." Sasuke replied, his dark eyes narrowing.

As though disturbed by the sound as well, most of the birds in the forest took flight as they attempted to get away from the sound. The sound and sight of the birds flying overhead succeeded in scaring Sakura even more.

"I-I'm getting kind of nervous. Those sounded like people screams." Sakura stammered.

"I'm sure it was nothing Sakura-chan, believe it." Naruto reassured her, although he didn't look or sound to sure himself. "Uh...I-I have to pee."

Naruto quickly rushed over the bunches across from them and began to unzip his pants. Before he could unzip them all the way, however, he received a hard punch to the back of his head.

"Naruto, you ding dong! You don't do that in front of a lady! Go do it in the shrubbery!" Sakura exclaimed as she nailed Naruto upside the back of his head with her fist. '_C'mon Naruto. I know you didn't have parents to teach you about life, but give me a break, use your common sense'_

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and let out an apology as he hurried into the bushes to relieve himself.

* * *

Naruto let out a relieved sigh as he let out the urine he'd been holding in since the first part of the Chunin Exams. Usually, he could hold it in a lot longer on special occasions such as this. But with all the stress of the exams, and the fact that those screams had just totally freaked him out, it felt as though his bladder was going to burst. As Naruto finished relieving himself, he became aware of a chakra signature coming up behind him. Naruto zipped up his pants and calmly turned around to face his opponent.

Upon turning around and laying eyes on his attacker, Naruto noticed that it was a young boy, around his age or at least a few years older. The boy had spiky brown hair with a white band over his eyes with eye holes and an air mask-like mouthpiece over his mouth. He also wore what appeared to be a straight jacket as well as a forehead protector that had 4 parallel vertical lines, meaning he was from Amegakure.

'_What the....this kid can sense chakra signatures? Damn, I guess my cover is blown then. Alright then, time for plan B' _the Rain ninja thought to himself.

"Alright boy, stay quiet and hand over your scroll. Obey my instructions and I'll spare your life." the Rain ninja said to Naruto as he pulled out a kunai, his voice sounding metallic because of the mouthpiece.

Naruto merely smirked.

"You want my scroll, then come take it" Naruto replied, narrowing his Rinnegan eyes.

"Kid, you just made the biggest mistake of your life." the Rain ninja said as he charged forward.

As the Rain ninja reached him, Naruto planted his foot into his attacker's belly, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to drop his kunai. With his foot still implanted in his stomach, Naruto lifted the Rain ninja up with a little effort and threw him into the clearing in front of Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sasuke, Sakura, we've got company" Naruto said as he walked out bushes.

Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto then at the Rain ninja who was picking himself up from the ground. They had questions, but they would save them for later. After all, they knew what this shinobi wanted and he wasn't going to get it.

"Dammit, you kids are really starting to piss me off." the Rain ninja said as he stood up. "Oh well then. Since you won't hand over your scroll the easy way, we'll do this the hard way. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."

With that, the Rain ninja pulled out another kunai and charged at Squad 7 with impressive speed.

Sasuke sighed.

"You guys hang tight. I'll take care of this guy." Sasuke said as he activated his Sharingan and stepped forward. The Uchiha then jumped up into the air and went through a series of hand seals.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu" Sasuke said as he blew a series of fire balls out of his mouth. Surprised, the Rain ninja stopped charging and moved from side to side while moving backwards at the same time, barely dodging the fire balls as they exploded upon impact with the ground. The Rain ninja then jumped up into the air towards Sasuke, his kunai poised and ready. However, Sasuke was one step ahead. Pulling out his sword and charging it with the Chidori, Sasuke swung, cutting the Rain ninja's kunai in half and slicing him across the chest, the force sending him plummeting into the ground with force.

'_What the hell was that? When he cut me, I felt a tingling sensation go throughout my entire body and now I can't move. It must have to do with that lighting he channeled into his sword. Dammit, and I thought the Rinnegan Master was tough. This guy may be just as powerful.' _the Rain ninja thought in frustration. This wasn't how the situation was supposed to go. These were just rookies after all. After only 2 minutes, the feeling returned to his body and he was able to stand. However, he gasped as he looked up and came face to face with Sasuke.

"What! How did you..." the Rain ninja began before he was cut off. Moving with inhuman speed, Sasuke cut the Rain ninja from every direction, slashing him all across his body so fast, that his movements couldn't be followed with the untrained eye. After about 30 or so good cuts, Sasuke appeared in front of the Rain ninja with his back facing him. At first, nothing happened, but once Sasuke finished re-sheathing his sword, the damage finally registered and the Rain ninja twitched as numerous cuts appeared on his body, blood spraying from his body. Sasuke then turned and kicked the Rain ninja square in the face as he did so, sending him flying into a tree, his spine almost shattering upon impact and sending pieces of bark flying everywhere.

"Damn it, this guy...." the Rain ninja said to himself as he steadily picked himself up. However, he didn't have to time to finish his sentence because Sasuke was rushing straight towards him like a speeding bullet, his fist charged with the _Chidori_. The Rain ninja jumped onto a tree branch in the nick of time, as Sasuke reached his previous position and thrusted his fist forward in the spot where the Rain ninja was only seconds before, creating a gaping hole in the trunk of the tree.

Wasting no time, the Rain ninja took to the air and began to jump from tree branch to tree branch. Not wanting to let his target away, Sasuke went after him with the rest of Squad 7 following behind.

"Alright tough guy, dodge this one!" the Rain ninja said as leaped for the next branch. He turned in midair and threw a handful of kunai as Sasuke reached the next branch. Thinking quickly, Sasuke dropped down and held on with both hands as the kunai embedded themselves into the tree branch he was holding onto. However, Sasuke heard a sizzling sound and his eyes widened when a burning piece of paper dropped directly in front of his face.

"Damn it, a paper bomb!" Sasuke exclaimed. Luckily, Sasuke let go of the branch and landed safely on the ground with his hands just as the paper bomb exploded, blowing the tree branch to pieces.

With his own impressive speed, the Rain ninja appeared behind Sasuke and pressed the kunai to his throat.

"I'll kill you if you move! Now, hand over the scroll and I'll let you live" the Rain ninja threatened as he pressed the blade into Sasuke's throat a little harder.

"You just don't learn do you?" Sasuke said while smirking. "Chidori Stream!"

Sasuke's smirk grew even wider as he felt his body begin to tingle and the lightning chakra surged throughout his body. Suddenly, Sasuke's body erupted with electricity flowing all around his body, causing the Rain ninja to drop his kunai as he was sent flying backwards.

"You're in no position to be making threats, friend." Sasuke said as he turned and began to walk forward towards his target.

Letting out a growl, the Rain ninja decided that he'd had enough and jumped into the air to escape. However, Sasuke wasn't going to let him go that easily. Charging the Chidori into his hand, Sasuke leaped forward and grazed the Rain ninja in the side, spinning him around in midair. Sasuke landed against the side of another tree with his legs and propelled himself back at the rain ninja striking him with the Chidori again. Sasuke continued this process, making a zigzag motion and hitting the rain ninja each time as he went along. Finally landing on the ground looked up to see the Rain ninja falling back to the ground as well, coughing up blood through his mouthpiece as he landed on the ground with a thud. Seeing that his opponent had been incapacitated, Sasuke moved in and began to search the Rain ninja. After searching for a few minutes, Sasuke was disappointed to learn that this ninja did not have a scroll on him.

"You should've chosen you opponents more wisely, _friend_" Sasuke as leaped into the air. Sasuke then charged his sword with the Chidori and swung it, unleashing a powerful wave of lightning that surged toward the Rain ninja. Thinking quickly, the Rain ninja took off his mouthpiece, pulled a food pill out of the pouch on his hip, and quickly swallowed it. Using the renewed energy that the food pill gave him, the Rain ninja put his mouthpiece back on and bounded off into the forest as fast as he could, just as the wave of lightning reached is previous position and obliterated the ground, creating a crater and destroying some of the surrounding forest.

'_Dammit, unlucky me. I should've brought some backup. These rookies....their not normal, that's for sure' _the Rain ninja thought to himself as he leaped from branch to branch with all of his speed.

"He got away, huh?" Naruto said as he and Sakura leaped off the branch of one of the remaining trees and made their way back over to Sasuke.

"Yeah, he didn't have a scroll on him either. And something tells me we'll meet up with him again soon" Sasuke said as he stared in the direction the Rain ninja had sped off to and narrowed his eyes. "Come on, let's keep moving. We're bound to run into someone else along the way."

Naruto and Sakura nodded and followed Sasuke deeper into the Forest of Death.

* * *

15 minutes after his defeat at the hands of Sasuke, the Rain ninja finally reached his Squad, battered and on the verge of passing out. The energy from the food pill was starting to wear off and now his body was starting to succumb to his injuries. When he collapsed to his knees after regrouping, his Squad mates rushed forward and helped him stand.

"Oboro, what happened?!!" one his team members asked. The Rain ninja wore the same attire as the Rain ninja identified as Oboro, except the white cloth over his eyes had only one eye hole.

"Mubi! Stop yelling in his ear! It's obvious he's injured and he doesn't need you yelling his freakin ear off!" the other Rain ninja said. This Rain ninja wore the same attire as the other two, except the white over his eyes had no eye holes, completely covering his eyes. How he still managed to see was beyond a mystery to everyone.

"Dammit, Mubi, Kagari!! Stop yelling, your only making the pain worse!" Oboro said as he started to get lightheaded.

"He's passing out! Kabuto, get over here and do something!" Mubi commanded as Oboro was started to go limp.

Sitting over on a log was Kabuto and his squad. They had agreed to work with Team Oboro in gathering scrolls and helping Kabuto gather more info for his Ninja Info Cards. When Oboro showed condition, Kabuto and his team couldn't help but smirk.

"Why should I do something? I told him not to underestimate those rookies, but he didn't listen. More importantly, I told you to avoid Squad 7 at all costs, but he didn't listen to that either apparently." Kabuto said arrogantly.

"Either you do something or the deal is off!" Kagari replied angrily.

Kabuto sighed and walked over to team Oboro.

"Alright sit him down and I'll do what I can" Kabuto said as he reached them. The fact that he was a medical ninja was one of the reasons Team Oboro had decided to help Kabuto and the others.

Mubi and Kagari set Oboro on the ground in a sitting position as Kabuto knelt down. Kabuto then charged his hand with chakra until they began to grow warm and glowed a turquoise color. He then laid his hands on Oboro's wounds one by one and began to heal them. After only a few minutes, Oboro was fully healed, but he would still need a little rest to regain his strength.

"So, you care to explain what happened?" Kabuto asked as he moved Oboro up against the log Team Kabuto was sitting on.

"I tried to ambush the rookie with the Rinnegan, but he sensed me somehow and kicked me out in front of his other teammates. Then I had to fight for my life against the Uchiha rookie. I barely managed to get away." Oboro explained while breathing heavily. "I should've listened to you. That Rinnegan brat managed to sense my chakra and the Uchiha brat knew how to use the Chidori. I can't imagine what that pink haired girl can do. Perhaps if I had of listened to you, I wouldn't have been so unlucky."

"Hmph, don't worry about it. You'll get the chance for revenge soon. Right now, however, I need to act as their friend for a little longer and gather more information for lord Orochimaru. You'll get a second chance along the way. Right now though, rest. Trust me, you'll need it." Kabuto said as Oboro nodded and dozed off.

"What should we do now?" Mubi asked

"**Now**, you guys just sit tight and wait. I'll do a little more surveillance on Squad 7 while my team watches the other rookies. I'll let you guys know when to step in" Kabuto said.

And with that, he and his team bounded off into the forest.

**Okay, please review and tell me what you guys think. Sorry about the wait and I hope the new chapter is to your liking.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 24**

It had been an hour since Squad 7's encounter with the Rain ninja, now identified as Oboro. They had been traveling through the forest since then and had not run into any other teams along the way. For the entire hour they had been traveling, it felt as though once again, Squad 7 was the only form of life in the entire forest and they found themselves wishing, again, that something would happen to give them a little excitement, or at least an adrenaline rush. So when Squad 7 had to fight off pack after pack of viscous man-eating animals as they went, they were actually glad to have _something _attacking them. It sounds crazy, but boredom does that you. They had heard all about how these exams were dangerous and possibly life-threatening so....where was the danger? They would find out very soon, but until then, Squad kept moving. After traveling for 10 more minutes, Squad 7 finally came to a small clearing where they decided to sit down and take a momentary break. 15 minutes into the break, Sasuke finally spoke up.

Naruto, Sakura" Sasuke said, getting the attention of his two teammates. "If there's an instance that we become separated, don't trust him or her if they look like one of your teammates. There is always a possibility that an enemy will transform to get close to us."

Naruto and Sakura thought about this for a moment and they decided that Sasuke was right. If they did become separated, they had no way of knowing if their teammate was actually the real thing. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this would be a major weakness down the road, so they would have to come up with a way to bypass this weakness before moving on further.

"Okay, so what should we do?" Sakura asked.

"Simple, we'll decide on a password." Sasuke replied "Listen, if the password is incorrect, no matter what he or she looks like....presume they are the enemy. Now, I'll only say this once, so listen closely."

Sasuke took a deep breathe and began, already aware that they were being stalked by an unknown enemy. However, Sasuke already had an idea and this mysterious enemy was playing right into it.

"You ask, Ninja Song: _Ninja Chance, _and the reply is this: It is the chance to sneak up where a large number of enemies is making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a Shinobi to know the right time...the time when an enemy is tired and drops his guard. That's it." Sasuke said after explaining the ridiculously long password.

"Okay, I got it" Sakura said with a nod.

"I got it too, sort of." Naruto said a little uncertainty. He remembered most of it, but he forgot some of the words at the end. "Hey Sasuke, could repeat that one more time?"

"Sorry Naruto, but no. I told you I'd only say it once." Sasuke answered.

"Come on Naruto, as smart as you are, don't tell me you can't memorize it" Sakura said with an angry undertone. "I memorized it perfectly."

"It's not that, I just don't remember the end! Aww, dammit!" Naruto said, slapping his hand against his face.

Sasuke sensed that an enemy ninja was waiting underground and listening in on their conversation, causing Sasuke to smirk in satisfaction. Now that the enemy knew the password, he would be sure to show himself later on. But that wasn't why Sasuke was smirking. Sasuke was smirking because the enemy only knew _part of Sakura's _password. Naruto's and his would be a lot different.

"C',mon Sasuke, can't you repeat it just one more time? I just need to hear the words at the end and I've got it." Naruto complained.

"Don't worry, you won't have to memorize it. That was only Sakura's password. Yours is different Naruto." Sasuke replied.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Naruto and Sakura just looked at Sasuke like he'd grown a second head. Taking the silence as proof that they had no idea what he was talking about, Sasuke decided to save them the trouble of asking and began to explain, but in a quiet whisper since the enemy was still there.

"Listen, all three of us have different passwords. Sakura's is the one I just called out. Actually, that was only part of it. At the end, Sakura will have to say her birthday since it's something only she would know. For me and you Naruto, the password will be to activate our kekkei genkai's since nobody can copy them. It would be simple for an enemy to eavesdrop on us and try to fool us down the road. Speaking of which, we were being spied on by an enemy ninja not too long ago. They've moved on now, so I'm assuming they think they have the advantage." Sasuke explained, getting nods of approval from both of his teammates.

"Also, I'll be the one holding the scroll from now on" Sasuke said as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Hey, wait a second--" Naruto began as he stood up also, but he was cut off as a kunai whizzed through the air, barely missing Naruto's cheek as it flew past.

Instantly, Squad 7 was on alert and ready for the worst possible scenario. Tense with adrenaline pumping through their veins, Squad 7 looked out into the forest in front of them, hoping to see, or at least sense, the person who thrown that kunai. More than likely, it was the same enemy ninja that had been eavesdropping on their conversation from underground.

"I don't sense anything" Sakura said with a kunai poised and ready. Already, Sakura was wishing that whoever this was would hurry up and reveal themselves so they could get this over with.

Sakura didn't have to wait long for her wish to come true because, without warning, a strong ass gust of wind, the likes of which Squad 7 had never felt before, blew through the forest, even uprooting the trees that stood in its path. In fact, everything that was in the tempest's path was violently blown away, including Squad 7.

"What kind of power is this?! This must be the new enemy!" Sasuke yelled as he grabbed onto a root sticking up from the ground and held on for dear life. As the strong gale finally began to die down, Sasuke dropped onto the ground and rolled underneath a group of bushes for cover.

* * *

The female grass ninja, whose hair Anko's kunai had sliced through, smirked evilly as she and her team looked ahead at the damage caused by her wind style jutsu. It had worked better than she had anticipated and now Squad 7 was separated. Not only that, she now knew Squad 7's password, so it would be easy to fool them, move in for the kill, and then take their scroll, as well study the person they had come to study. It was simple enough....or so they thought.

"Alright, here's the plan: you two stay out sight, but stay close. I'll disguise myself as one of them and move in. Afterwards, I'll give the signal with my fingers and then that's when you two jump out in an ambush, understood?" the female grass ninja, Shiore, instructed.

Her team members nodded and leaped into the bushes. Smirking, Shiore made a hand seal and activated her transformation jutsu. After making sure her voice sounded just right, Shiore walked on into the new man-made clearing in search of Squad 7.

* * *

Sasuke was still hiding under the bushes, waiting for the enemy to come out and reveal themselves. He was already alert as it was. All he needed now was to get a glimpse at the enemy and he would attack. Sasuke didn't like surprises from the enemy, and once he got a visual on the enemy shinobi, he would pounce without warning. His muscles were cocked and ready like springboards, ready to spring at a moment's notice. However, before Sasuke could actually get a visual on the enemy, he felt a chakra presence behind him. Reacting on instinct, Sasuke rolled backwards out of the bushes and turned to face his opponent with his hand on his sword, ready to pull it out in a split second. However, it was only Sakura....or so it seemed.

"Sasuke! I found you!" Sakura exclaimed as she began to make her way over to the stoic Uchiha. However, Sasuke pulled out his sword and pointed at the pink haired kunoichi, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Do not come any closer. First, the password. _Ninja Song: Ninja Chance" _Sasuke said in a commanding tone as he pointed his unwavering sword at Sakura, only a few feet from her throat.

Sakura nodded and took a deep breath.

"It is the chance to sneak up where a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a shinobi to know the right time...the time when the enemy is tired and drops his guard. Also, my birthday is March 28." Sakura said calmly, despite having a sword pointed at her by her comrade.

"Good" Sasuke said as he re-sheathed his sword.

"Wait, how do I know you're really Sasuke?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

To answer her question, Sasuke concentrated his chakra to his eyes and activated his Sharingan. Sakura nodded and relaxed a little more.

"Alright, now all we have to do is find Naru-chan" Sasuke said as he looked around.

As if on cue, Naruto came running towards them.

"Hey, Sasuke, Sakura, are you guys okay?" Naruto said as he reached breathlessly. "Sorry, we got separated."

"Hold on Naruto. First your password" Sakura said sternly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, the password!" Naruto said as he stopped and thought for a moment. After taking a moment remember how it went, Naruto took a deep breath and began.

"It is the chance to sneak up where a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a shinobi to know the right time...the time when the enemy is tired and drops his guard."

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a quick glance for a few seconds then looked back at Naruto.

"Okay, you know Sakura's password. Now, activate your Rinnegan" Sasuke said, his hand subconsciously going to his sword.

"What are talking about? My Rinnegan has nothing to do with anything! I _just_ said the password." Naruto hollered back, becoming pissed off.

Without giving it a second thought, Sakura rushed forward and nailed "Naruto" right in the face with a hard punch, a crack was heard as he was sent skidding and tumbling across the dirt before finally coming to a stop. Having taken damage, Shiore's transformation jutsu was canceled and the grass ninja herself was revealed. Popping her nose back into place, she glared up angrily at the Sasuke and Sakura as they made their way over and stood over her.

"Damn you, stupid brats!" Shiore said angrily through clenched teeth. "How did you know?! I said the password like I was supposed to!"

"_That's_ one of the problems, you said it perfectly. Even though Naruto is intelligent, his short attention span prevents him from memorizing a password that long. Besides, if you were listening in correctly, you would've remembered that Naruto didn't know the last part to the password. Also, the password you heard was only part of _Sakura's _password, not _Naruto's. _Naruto's password was to activate his Rinnegan since a kekkei genkai cannot be taught or copied, even during a transformation jutsu. Each of us had a different password and we already knew you were there beforehand, you fucking snake." Sasuke explained coldly.

As Shiore listened to Sasuke explain, her anger turned to disbelief. They had been one step ahead the entire time. She had underestimated these rookies and now she was paying for it. However, he look of disbelief turned into a sinister smile and a long snake-like tongue slithered out of her mouth as he licked her lips in anticipation. The rookies were just full of surprises. Sensing danger, Sasuke and Sakura jumped back a few feet so that there was good distance between them and Shiore.

"So...you rookies were able to plan that far ahead then?" Shiore said as she stood up from the ground and dusted herself off. "In that case....this is going to be more fun than I originally thought"

Sakura stared upon this strange woman with disgust written all over face. She had never encountered someone so....disturbing. In fact, even to say that this woman was disturbing would be an understatement. She was...something else entirely.

'_This woman....gives me the creeps. And what's up with her tongue? It doesn't seem human at all' _Sakura thought to herself with a shudder as Shiore looked at her. '_But most importantly, where is Naruto-kun? I hope he's okay'_

Sakura didn't have time to worry about Naruto for too long because, with a snap of her fingers, Shiore summoned her teammates and they emerged from the bushes to stand beside Shiore. Realizing that they wouldn't be getting out here without a fight, Sakura tensed visibly and prepared for the worst.

_

* * *

_

After being violently blown away by a freak gust of wind that came from out of nowhere, Naruto lay upside against a large thick tree, in a daze. Upon waking up, Naruto felt light headed and and he had a really bad headache from hitting his head. Upon waking up and sitting back upright again, Naruto looked around only, to realize that he had no idea where he was. The forest in front of him had been cleared by the wind and it now formed a tunnel. Naruto was positive that Sasuke and Sakura were still in there somewhere and he would have to regroup with them somehow. First, however, he needed to gather himself. After taking a few minutes to let his light-headedness and headache go away completely, Naruto was just about ready to rejoin his comrades, when suddenly, a huge shadow blocked out the sunlight that was shining on him. Looking up, Naruto's Rinnegan eyes widened and he gaped in shock.

Towering above him was the largest snake Naruto had ever seen. It's body was thicker than any tree, and by the looks of it, this snake could literally eat everything in the forest and still have room to spare in it's body. It hissed as he glared at Naruto, it's forked tongue flickering in and out of its mouth to taste the air. It opened it's mouth, revealing large sharp fangs that were curved like hypodermic needles. It glared at Naruto with its slitted pupils and let another loud and mighty hiss. All Naruto could do was continue to stand there and gape in open-mouth shock.

"H-Huge!" Naruto finally managed to stammer out. "This is the first time I've seen.....a snake this huge!"

After glaring at Naruto for a few seconds more, the snake decided that it had given it's prey enough time to enjoy living, and without warning, it lunged forward with it's mouth open, ready to swallow Naruto in one gulp. Reacting quickly, Naruto managed to move out of the way as the snake reached him. It crashed into the ground where Naruto had been only moments before. The snake recovered quickly and lunged at Naruto again and again, with Naruto barely being able to stay one step ahead. Naruto knew that if he were to slip up even once, he would be eaten alive. And by a stroke of bad luck, Naruto accidentally trip as he lept backwards. Seeing that its prey had a crucial mistake, the snake lunged forward and scooped Naruto up into his mouth. Naruto managed to force the snake's jaws open just enough so that he could pop back out.

Before the snake could lunge at him again, Naruto made a few quick hand seals with blazing speed and slammed his palm down on the ground.

"Rinnegan Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto yelled.

Suddenly there was a huge puff of white smoke that engulfed the clearing in which the battle was taking place. The snake looked around, perplexed as to what was going on as it had lost sight of it's prey. After a few more moments, the smoke finally cleared and Naruto was now standing on the head what looked like a giant centipede. The gigantic centipede was the same size as the snake. The only difference being that it had a Chakra Disruption Blade going vertically through it's nose and it had a pair of Rinnegan eyes instead of normal eyes.

"Alright, this should even the playing field a little bit" Naruto said with a smirk under his mask.

* * *

While Naruto fought for his life against a giant snake, Sasuke and Sakura were now at a standstill with Team Shiore. Everyone dared the other to make a move, but so far, nobody was willing to move first. That is, until Shiore began to chuckle. She then reached into the pouch on her hip and pulled out a blue scroll. At seeing Squad 7's looks of surprise, she began to chuckle darkly while holding up the blue scroll.

"You want our "Earth" scroll, don't you? Shiore asked. "Since you have the "Heaven" scroll that is."

After letting out another chuckle, Shiore then raised the scroll to her mouth, wrapped her long snake-like tongue around it, and swallowed it whole with a sickening gulp. While Sasuke managed to keep his cool, Sakura looked as though she were going to puke at any moment. That was most disgusting thing Sakura had ever seen and she knew it would take a while for her to get that image and sound out of her head.

Shiore bowed her head low enough so that her bangs covered her eyes and she began to speak in an eerie tone of voice.

"Well, let's begin......the battle for the scrolls." Shiore said as she looked up and stared Sasuke and Sakura directly in the eye. Shiore suddenly got a wild look in her eyes and she flashed Sasuke and Sakura a toothy grin. "With our lives on the line!!"

Suddenly, as they looked into Shiore's eyes, Sasuke and Sakura began to see images, gruesome images of their own deaths. However, after realizing that this was just a genjutsu, Sakura calmed down and formed a hand seal that expelled the illusion as though it were nothing.

"Sorry, but you'll have to do better than that if you want to take us down" Sakura as she pulled her gloves tighter on her hands in preparation for the fight she knew was coming next.

Shiore and her team were stunned for a few moments at how skilled these rookies were, but then they quickly regained their composure.

"Very well then. The hard way it is" Shiore said arrogantly with a hiss. "Team Shiore attack and bring me their scroll!"

With that simple command, the other two members of Team Shiore pulled a rose out from the weapon pouch on their hips and went through a series of hand seals.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Rose Whip" a Team Shiore members said. There was a puff smoke as the rose that the two members held in their hands transformed into long whips that were covered in thorns that were dripping with some kind of purple liquid, obviously poison. With their weapons ready, the two Grass ninja charged forward with the intent to kill.

Sasuke smirked. It may have been 3 against 2, and the enemy may be using poison with their weapons, but that just made the fight more interesting. Without a second thought, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, charged his sword with the Chidori and charged forward with Sakura.

* * *

Naruto, meanwhile, was still standing on top of the centipede's head as it battled with the giant snake, focusing chakra to his feet so that he had a much better grip. So far, the centipede and the snake were evenly matched. They coiled around each other and bit at each other, but neither really getting the upper hand. Like other members of it's species, the centipede that Naruto summoned was in fact poisonous, but the poison wasn't deadly enough to kill the damn reptile. It slowed down the snake's movements, but that was about it. All the Centipede could do was bite and sting in order to pump more venom into the snake, but the snake was shaking off the effects and biting back. They chased each others through the forest and the clearing, knocking over trees and sending dirt flying with each strike that missed it's target. After verifying that the Centipede wouldn't be able to kill this snake on it's on, Naruto decided to lend a helping hand. He quickly went through a series of hand seals and placed his hand on the centipede's head.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!" Naruto called out as he pumped a little of his chakra into the centipede. The centipede's chakra and Naruto's chakra merged together as the centipede inhaled. The centipede waited until the snake lunged forward to exhale out of it's mouth, shooting a large and concentrated beam of electricity. Using it trigger reflexes, the snake moved to the side, dodging the electricity beam that tore through the forest and vaporized everything in its path.

The centipede fired more electric beams from it's mouth, but the snake managed to slither around and avoid each shot, though barely. After dodging the last blast, the snake lunged forward and tangled itself around the centipede. The two behemoths wrestled on the ground, biting each other senseless, all the while with Naruto holding on for dear life with the chakra channeled to his feet. Luckily, the centipede was able to slither away from the snake with numerous bite marks and cuts here and there. It was obvious that the Rinnegan centipede was on its last legs. Seeing that its prey had retreated and was now greatly weakened, the giant snake hissed and lunged at the centipede once more for the final blow.

"Shinra Tensei!" Naruto yelled as he made a hand seal and focused chakra through his entire body. As the snake got closer, it was suddenly blown back with incredible force as it was repelled by gravity. The snake sailed through the air and knocked over and crushed numerous trees as it finally landed with a skid.

'_Alright, I've gotta hurry before it recovers. I only have one shot at this.' _Naruto thought to himself as he jumped off the centipede's head. Not wasting anymore time, Naruto raced towards the snake with chakra enhanced speed as the snake began to rise. The giant snake regained itself and hissed angrily when it saw Naruto blazing toward him. The snake was about to lunge forward, but Naruto suddenly jumped high into the air before it could strike. Going through a number of hand seals with amazing speed, Naruto pointed his outstretched palm down toward the snake as he formed a tightly compressed ball of gravity.

"Shinra Tensei!" Naruto yelled again. The pin-sized invisible gravity bomb shot from Naruto Naruto's palm down to the ground bellow, landing directly ontop of the snake's oversized head. Upon contact, the gravity bomb exploded, creating a huge crater with the snake in the center. The trees, rocks, and boulders in the surrounding area were crushed into dust and the snake itself took massive damage, some of it bones were shattered and its internal organs were heavily ruptured from the intense pressure. Blood gushed from the snakes body as its body was flattened like a pancake. Naruto landed safely back down on the ground and began to walk back over to the centipede when the snake came back to life. Even after that, the snake still had some juice left in the tank, but's movements were a lot slower and sluggish. The snake regained itself as much as it could and charged forward at Naruto and the Rinnegan centipede. Apparently, this snake simply would not retreat.

"What the hell?! That thing can still move even though it's practically dead!" Naruto exclaimed as he climbed back on top of the centipede's head. "Oh well, I guess I'll have to **put it down** after all."

Naruto went through another series of hand seals and once again placed his hand on the centipede's head, sending his chakra through the centipede's body as he did so.

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!" Naruto called out. The centipede inhaled once more and then exhaled, shooting a small fireball out it's mouth. The fire ball sailed through the air and into the snake's open mouth. Upon contact, the fireball exploded in a giant firestorm, incinerating the snake along with the surrounding, and destroyed, vegetation. All that was left was an ugly black scorch mark.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and jumped down off of the centipede's head. He calmly walked closer to it and patted it's belly.

"You did great. Now, go rest" Naruto instructed. The centipede nodded at its master and dispersed in a puff of smoke. With the battle now over, Naruto stopped for a moment and began to look for his teammates' chakra signatures. After locating them and sensing that they still weren't too far away, Naruto used his chakra enhanced speed and began to race back to his team.

* * *

Sakura moved to he side as her opponent lashed his rose whip at her. So far, she had succeeded in dodging her opponents attacks, but because of the fluid motions of the whip, she was able to move for a hit. So for now, all she could do was dodge as her opponent lashed at her again and again, each time barely missing. Sakura knew that if she got hit even once, it would be all over. She didn't have any sort of medicine that could deal with the poison that the enemy's weapon was covered in, so dodging the opponents attacks was priority #1. Problem was, Sakura was getting tired of dodging and she really wanted to take this guy down.

"Stop moving around! You're only delaying the inevitable!" the grass ninja exclaimed. He then charged forward, and lashed his whip at Sakura repeatedly as he did so. He knew that Sakura could not dodge forever and it was only a matter of time before the kunoichi finally slipped up, making her final mistake. Sakura moved to the left as the grass ninja lashed out with his whip again, and it was then that Sakura noticed the sizable boulder on her left. Suddenly, an idea flashed into Sakura's head. She gracefully jumped over to the boulder, avoiding the whip along the way, and grabbed it with both hands. Using her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura heaved the giant rock at her opponent without a second thought. Smirking, the Grass ninja easily cut the boulder down with his whip before it even got to him, diverting his attention for a few moments. However, a few moments was all Sakura needed.

Charging a little chakra into her legs, Sakura shot forward with a burst of speed and landed a combo of punches and kicks to Grass ninja's body, each hit charged with chakra for added damage. Seeing as how her opponent was now in too much pain to react, Sakura went through a series of hand seals until her hands began to grow warm and glowed with light blue chakra, forming the Chakra Scalpel. Wasting no time, Sakura slapped the front of the Grass ninja's calf muscles, severing the muscles and tendons under the skin. Sakura then moved downwards and slapped the back of the Grass ninja's ankles, cutting the tendons there too without breaking the skin on the outside. The Grass ninja's cry of pain was cut short as Sakura landed another chakra charged punch to his gut, sending flying back into the tree behind him, making an impression in the thick tree trunk.

Sakura smirked as she walked over to him. The Grass ninja tried to get up, but ended up falling right back on his ass with a thud, pain shooting up through his legs and ankles. Seeing as he was now helpless, the Grass shinobi glared hatefully up at Sakura as she folded her arms over chest and smirked down at him.

"Damn it, what the hell did you do, you little brat?!" the Grass ninja demanded angrily.

"Simple, I used the Chakra Scalpel to cut the muscles and tendons in your calf muscles. Then I cut both of the Achilles tendon in both of your ankles. Sorry, but I'm afraid you'll never walk again." Sakura explained confidently. However, she became puzzled when the angry expression on the Grass ninja's face suddenly became calm.

"Heh, that's what you think. However, this fight is far from over!" the Grass ninja replied, his voice raising a few octaves. "In fact, I think it's time I use my full power! Because you see, I don't necessarily need my legs to move. I have a back up plan. Allow me to show you!"

With a little difficulty, the Grass ninja removed his shirt and threw it to the side. He then began to go through a series of strange hand seals that Sakura did not recognize. Suddenly feeling uneasy, Sakura took a few steps back.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Bodily Plant Reconstruction" the Grass ninja called out. Suddenly, the forest around Sakura began to come alive as the trees around her began to shake, as though they were possessed. The vines in the numerous trees around them dropped to the ground slithered like snakes toward the incapacitated Grass ninja. By the hundreds, the vines reached the ninja and wrapped around his arms and legs, encasing them in thick, protective extensions that ended in claws at the fingers and toes. The other hundreds of vines actually crawled underneath the Grass ninja's skin and merged together as they poked out from his back, forming tick octopus-like tentacles that extended out from his back. Thick thorns erupted from his shoulders. Lastly, the Grass ninja's slightly pale skin took on sickly greenish tinge. Two of the many vine tentacles on the Grass ninja's back shot out and grabbed onto the tree branches above his head. The Grass ninja used these as leverage and pulled himself up. Sakura then noticed that not only had the Grass ninja's appearance changed, but his height also. Originally, he had been at least 6'1. Now he was a 7 ft. tall monster that towered over her thanks to the vine extensions around his legs.

"Wha-What _are _you?" Sakura stammered out.

The Grass ninja let out a dark chuckle as he glared down at her with a sneer.

"Like what you see? This is my kekkei genkai, Plant Manipulation. It allows me to control the growth, behavior, and density of plants. I can turn a docile forest into a forest of death, just like the one were in now. Or I could turn a rose into a deadly weapon just like you witnessed before. I can harden vines and other plants with my chakra to make them harder than steel or I can make them soft and flexible like rubber. I can even use my little leafy friends to take over an entire village." the Grass ninja explained in a dark voice, sound like a bunch of dry leaves scraping together. "In fact, after I'm done with you and these exams, your precious Konoha is next. How does that sound, hmmm?"

At hearing Konoha being threatened, Sakura's shock turned into determination and rage. There was no way in hell she'd let this bastard destroy her home. She would take this guy down or die trying.

"You won't get the chance, because this is as far as you go!" Sakura hollered back while clenching her fists.

"Well we'll see about that....you little wench!!" the Grass ninja bellowed as he charged forward. Although she would never admit it, a small part of Sakura instinctively had the urge to run and hide at seeing her monstrosity of an opponent charge at her. However, she pushed that part of her aside and got ready for action. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Stopping a few feet away from her, the grass stopped and allowed the vine tentacles on his back to to stretch forth after hardening them so that they would shatter bone once they hit their target. Using her sharp wits, Sakura managed to dodge the vines one by one as they reached her, shattering the ground where she once stood. As the vine tentacles reached for her again, Sakura began to fight back with her strength, slamming her fists into the vines as they came at her. However, she still had to dodge every now and then. At seeing that the vine tentacles were ineffective at the moment, the Grass ninja pulled them back and went through a series of hand seals that Sakura still did not recognize.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Thorn Barrage!" the Grass ninja bellowed out before opening his mouth wide. Suddenly, a wide stream of sharp, needle-like thorns shot out from his mouth at high speeds. Realizing that she would have to block this attack, Sakura ran and dove for cover behind a large boulder. No sooner had she taken cover when the thorns reached her, embedding themselves in the stone she hid behind. Now that Sakura could no longer see him for the time being, the Grass ninja launched his vine tentacles again, and they shot forth at incredible speed. Sensing danger, Sakura dove from behind the boulder just as the vine tentacles reached her position, shattering the large and immovable boulder to pieces.

Seeing that Sakura was immobile at the moment, the Grass wasted no time and opened his mouth, firing a stream of thorns at his target. This time, the needle-like thorns, thinner than slivers of glass, reached their target and embedded themselves in Sakura's skin. Sakura cried out as she felt sharp pricks of pain erupt all over her body. The pain was so intense that Sakura's body went into shock and she became temporarily paralyzed. Now that his target had been incapacitated, the Grass ninja moved with amazing speed to Sakura position on the ground. He then wrapped a thick vine tentacle around her waist and lifted her up as he began to squeeze.

"Not so tough now, are you, little girl? I'll tell you what, if you surrender, I'll make your death as quick as I possibly can and end your suffering right now. There's no way that you can win anyway, so you might as well make it easier on yourself now girlie." the Grass ninja sneered as he squeezed tight enough to that Sakura could barely breathe.

"Fuck....you!" Sakura managed to shoot back nastily and spat a big loogie straight into his face. "There's...no way...in Hell....that I'll ever...give a...bastard...like you...the pleasure....of victory...over me!"

"Fine, don't say I didn't give you a chance, you stubborn little bitch. And don't even **think** about trying to escape. Nobody can escape this hold." the Grass ninja said as he tightened his grip even more. By now, he had completely cut off Sakura's air supply, and now all he had to do was wait for her to pass out from lack of oxygen. Then....he would crush her.

Sakura knew she had to think of something and fast. She could no longer breathe and she was already starting to become light headed. Pretty soon, everything would start getting dark once she started to lose consciousness. After that, it would be the point of no return. She considered cutting through the vines, but that wouldn't work for a number of reasons. For one, all of her kunai were in weapons pouch, which was on her waist. Currently, her waist was covered by the vine tentacle, so she could get to it. Secondly, even if she did have a kunai, it would take to long cut through the vine tentacle because it was so thick and she'd been dead before she cut halfway through. So she was left with only one other option: raw strength. However, she was losing strength fast so she would have to act quickly.

Summoning her last onces of strength, Sakura gripped the vine tentacle with both her hands, and after focusing chakra to her arms and hands, Sakura wretched to the side as hard as she could with a strained cry of effort. The effort paid off, because the vine tentacle snapped in half and Sakura fell to the ground with a thud. Having been connected from their life source, the vines around Sakura's waist died and loosened, allowing oxygen to enter Sakura's lungs once more. Sakura breathed in the precious air like her life depended on it, which it did. Never before had Sakura been so happy to breathe in her entire life.

The Grass ninja, meanwhile, watched in shock as Sakura sat up and fill her lungs full of oxygen again and again. He had transformed on a number of occasions in the past, counting this time, and nobody had ever broken out of his grasp before. Yet somehow, this one female kunoichi, a rookie at that, had managed to do what nobody else could.

'_Heh, this rookie is unlike no other I have faced. I wonder what other surprises she has in store' _the Grass ninja wondered as Sakura steadily rose to her feet. Normally, he would outright kill his opponent once they were in the position Sakura was in, but this one intrigued him. He was enjoying this hunt, and he wanted it to continue longer, just to see what else his prey could do.

After finally breathing lungful after lungful of air, Sakura turned to her opponent, feeling rejuvenated. She smirked at seeing that the tentacle that had tried to squeeze the life out of her now ended in a stump. However, her eyes widened in surprise when the half of the vine tentacle she had ripped off grew back a few seconds later. Seeing her surprise, the Grass ninja smiled a sadistic smile.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention one small detail. I can regenerate any damage that my vine limbs sustain. In other words, it does matter how many times you tear them apart. They'll just keep growing back." the Grass ninja explained arrogantly.

Sakura scowled at him and clenched her fists in frustration.

'_Damn it, it's damn near impossible to actually hurt this guy. I guess I'll have to go for his main body since his vine body parts are indestructible.' _Sakura thought to herself. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura decided that it was time to go on the offensive.

With determination to win coursing through her veins, Sakura charged forward at the Grass ninja and channeled chakra into the heel of her right foot as she ran forward. The Grass ninja launched a series of vine tentacles at her, but Sakura managed to dodge them all without stopping and she continued to move forward. The pink haired kunoichi then jumped up into the air and raised her leg all the way up, showing off her flexibility. The Grass ninja jumped out of harm's way as Sakura brought her heel down, releasing her chakra as she did do. The ground beneath and around her cracked apart from the pressure, creating a large crater. It didn't take long for the dust to clear, and Sakura glared daggers at her opponent once he came into view.

'_This girl....has inhuman strength. If I get hit even once with something like that, I might actually die.' _the Grass ninja said as Sakura cracked her knuckles. '_Finally, worthy prey.' _The Grass ninja smirked in appreciation. He finally had a real challenge. For once, his opponent had the potential to kill him and he wanted to savor this fight as much as he could.

Not wanting to give her opponent time to rest, Sakura lunged out of the crater and at the Grass ninja, her fist charged with chakra, pulled back, and ready. The Grass ninja moved with excellent swiftness as Sakura shot her fist forward, hitting the tree behind him and not only breaking it in half, but also uprooting it, sending it shooting through the forest and knocking down other trees as it went along. With a grunt of frustration, Sakura charged at him once more. Again, the Grass ninja was forced to move back as Sakura jumped into the air, and came down sharply towards him, thrusting her fist forward and releasing the chakra upon contact, creating a crater bigger than the last one.

Before Sakura could charge at him again, the Grass ninja launched out a few of the much thinner vine tentacles that wrapped themselves around Sakura's body. Sakura struggled, but wasn't able to free herself of the bindings. The Grass ninja then twirled Sakura around like a lasso and hurled her at a tree. Sakura slammed into the trunk and collapsed to the ground. Pain shot up threw her spine and Sakura felt as though she would pass out. Her head was in a daze and she could barely concentrate. She knew she had to move, but it hurt too much.

Seeing that Sakura was again incapacitated, the Grass ninja went though another set of hand seals.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Vines of Bondage" the Grass ninja said as some of the vine tentacles shot underground. Suddenly, hundreds of thorny vines began to erupt of the ground around Sakura and the wrapped themselves around the dazed girl, the thorns digging into her skin and drawing blood. All Sakura could do was let out a cry of pain as the vines tightened even more.

"I have to admit, wench, you put up a pretty good fight. You're one of the toughest opponents I've ever faced, however, now you must die." the Grass ninja said as he went through another set of hand seals.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Thorn Spear of Judgement" the Grass ninja raised his right arm and a long thorn in the form of a spear poked out through the palm of his hand. The Grass ninja aimed....and fired. The thorn spear shot out of his palm like a missile, heading straight toward Sakura at top speed. Thinking quickly, Sakura focused her chakra, and with a loud cry of frustration, let her energy explode out of her, not only breaking the thorny vines, but also shattering the thorn spear as it reached her.

"Are you fucking kidding me!! Why won't you die?!" the Grass ninja bellowed as he he charged at Sakura. Using what little strength she had, Sakura made the Shadow Clone had seal, and a Sakura clone emerged just in time to intercept her attacker. The Sakura clone delivered a roundhouse kick to his chest, sending him flying backwards and into a tree, almost breaking it in half. Afterwards, the clone dispersed. The distraction gave Sakura enough time to reach into her weapons pouch and pull out a small food pill. It would give her enough energy to continue the fight, but only for a few minutes. Feeling the energy coursing through her, Sakura stood up and brushed herself off. She then focused chakra into her hands until they began to glow a turquoise color and she began to heal some of her wounds. She didn't have long, however, because the Grass ninja had gotten back up and he was now just as pissed off as before.

"Alright, you little rodent, you're really starting to piss me off now. If you would just let me kill you already, you wouldn't have to be struggling now." the Grass ninja growled.

"Shove it up your ass!" Sakura shot back, flipping him off with both middle fingers. '_Alright, I need to end this now. That food pill will only last for 3 minutes, so I need to take him down before time runs out, or else by body will shut down from exhaustion.'_

The Grass ninja growled at being flipped off, and shot a another wide series of thorn needles from his mouth. This time, Sakura used the Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu to slip under ground and safely avoided the thorns. Angry, the Grass ninja searched around to figure out where his opponent would turn up at, but he could not sense her. He didn't have to wait long, because 3 Sakura clones, including Sakura herself, erupted up from the ground in front of him and attacked him all at once. The Grass ninja managed to dodge most of their attacks, and for the most part, the struggle was evenly matched. Finally, the Grass ninja grabbed a hold of one of them with a few of the thin vine tentacles and threw it into another clone, dispersing both of them, leaving only 1 more clone and the real Sakura. The real Sakura landed a hard punch to his gut, sending him flying back. The last Sakura clone jumped up into the air and landed a drop kick as she came back down, cratering the Grass shinobi into the ground.

Before the Sakura clone could jump away, large thorn spikes erupted from the Grass ninja's chest, impaling the Sakura clone and causing it to disperse. The Grass ninja then rose up from the ground and prepared another thorn spear, just about ready to fire it at the real Sakura which stood a few feet away from him. Before he could fire, Sakura made a hand seal and successfully caught him in a genjutsu before he could fire the thorn spear.

The Grass ninja was transported to Sakura's mind where he came face with a giant Inner Sakura. The Grass ninja found himself paralyzed and could only watch as the giant Inner Sakura reared back her massive fist and literally punched him back into reality. The Grass ninja feel to one knee due to the punch to his psyche.

'_3 minutes have already passed since I ate the food pill. I need to hurry up and end this now before time runs out. I only have nothing but seconds left.' _Sakura thought to herself as she charged chakra into her fist. All she had to do now was rush forward and deliver the final killing blow straight to his chest. Hopefully, the force would be enough to stop his heart. However, the Grass ninja recovered just enough to launch a thick vine tentacle at Sakura before she could charge forward. Luckily, Sakura thought of a back up plan in a split second. If she couldn't get to the enemy, then the enemy would come to her. Dodging the vine tentacle as it reached her, quickly ran back to it before it could pull back and gripped it tightly in both hands. Using her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura pulled on the vine as hard as she could, yanking the surprised Grass ninja toward her with force. The Grass ninja struggled and tried to pull the vine tentacle back, but Sakura held on with all she had. She then began to swing the Grass ninja around by the vine appendage until his feet no longer touched the ground and he was now up in the air.

'_5 seconds.'_

Sakura yanked and yanked as hard as she could, bringing the Grass ninja closer and closer. She could practically hear the clock ticking away the seconds until the pill wore off.

'_4 seconds'_

Sakura tugged one last time as hard as she could, pulling the Grass ninja straight towards her now at a fast pace.

'_3 seconds'_

The Grass ninja plummeted toward Sakura, glaring at her with pure hatred as he fell towards her against his will.

'_2 seconds'_

Sakura charged her fist full of chakra and let go of the vine as the Grass ninja came within striking range at full speed toward her.

'_1 second'_

With all of her might, Sakura slammed her chakra charged fist straight into the Grass ninja's chest, releasing all the chakra she had stored. The momentum worked against the Grass ninja, intensifying the force at which he slammed into Sakura's fist. The punch was so loud that it seemed to echo throughout the entire forest. The Grass ninja felt all of the air rush out of him as he was sent flying back with incredible force, going through a number of trees before shattering through another large boulder. The pill's effect finally wore off the second Sakura delivered the final blow and she collapsed to her knees in exhaustion having been pushed to her limits. Despite her exhaustion, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. The battle was over and she could now take a few minutes to rest.

Sakura suddenly became of the last member of the enemy shinobi team. It was that strange woman with the long tongue. She been standing there the entire fight, watching the action from the sidelines. Although, she seemed more interested in Sasuke's fight. Speaking of which, Sasuke was just about done with his opponent. The other Grass ninja had the same kekkei genkai as the one Sakura had been fighting and he was using what looked like man-eating plants to attack Sasuke. However, Sasuke was cutting them down to size and it looked though he did not require any assistance. In that case, Sakura would deal with the long tongued woman. Sakura managed to summon just enough energy to stand up and walked slowly over to the female Grass ninja, stopping a few feet away from her. Shiore calmly looked over at Sakura and smiled evilly at her.

"Yes, can I help you dear girl?" Shiore asked sarcastically.

"You're next. Hand over the scroll and I'll let you go." Sakura said in a tired, but commanding tone. She was in no mood to play around with this woman. If she wouldn't hand over the scroll, they'd go at it plain and simple. Sakura may have been tired now, but she had more food pills, and she would use everyone of them to defeat this woman, if you could call her that.

"Why, dear girl, you have it all wrong. I'm not the one you should be worried about." Shiore said in an eerily calm voice. She then raised her hand and pointed at something behind Sakura.

Perplexed, Sakura turned around, and came face-to-face with the Grass ninja she thought she had defeated. His vine appendages were damaged as they had regenerated. Some of them had been torn off when he went sailing through the forest. The thing that caught her attention was the giant gaping hole in his chest. Instead of muscle underneath, it was nothing but vines. And underneath the vines was his still-beating heart. The vines had acted as a cushion and had managed to protect his heart from what should have been a fatal blow.

"You......you little **BITCH!!!! I ALMOST DIED!!**" the Grass ninja said as he raised his thorn covered hand, preparing to knock Sakura's head off her shoulders.

Sakura's eyes widened. She no energy to defend herself. No energy to block or even move out of the way. She didn't have enough energy to reach for another food pill or anything else for that matter. All she could do was stand there and wait for the blow to be struck. Hopefully, it would come quick and she wouldn't have to suffer. That was the only thought that ran through Sakura's mind.

**Will Sakura survive? Will Naruto arrive in time to save his comrades? You'll just have to stay tuned for the next chapter to see what happens next. By the way, I'm deeply sorry for the long wait. My Internet has been acting up lately, but now everything is fine and I can update regularly like I normally do. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review and tell me what you think. I'm sorry again for the wait and the next chapter will be up soon. Stay gold people.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. Except for the ones I might create every now and then.**

**More Than Just Comrades **

**Chapter 25**

Sasuke charged forward and landed a hard knee blow to the Grass ninja he was fighting before the poor bastard even knew what hit em, sending him skidding across the dirt before hitting a tree. Sakura, meanwhile, had already charged off with her opponent and they were fighting on the other side of the clearing, leaving the other Grass ninja to the Uchiha. It had been 10 minutes since they had started and Sasuke already had the upper hand. So far, the Grass ninja hadn't gotten a single hit on Sasuke yet and he was getting frustrated, having never faced an opponent who was faster than him. Sasuke's Sharingan didn't help his situation either. Because of the Uchiha's accursed kekkei genkai, Sasuke was able to read the Grass ninja's movements, allowing him to take the proper action to avoid his attacks. Hell, Sasuke didn't even have to use his sword for this guy. This fact, along with everything else, pissed the Grass ninja off to no end.

With a frustrated growl, the Grass ninja charged forward with his rose whip and lashed out repeatedly with it's fluid motion. However, Sasuke easily dodged every swing and sent an electric current underground towards his opponent with the Chidori, stunning him momentarily when it struck him. Wasting no time, Sasuke teleported forward and hit the Grass ninja under the chin with the butt of his sword, lifting the Grass ninja in the air just enough so that his feet came a few inches off the ground. Sasuke then followed by landing a smooth combo of kicks that launched the Grass ninja up into the air. As the Grass ninja came back down, Sasuke timed his next move perfectly and landed a hard punch to his opponent's stomach, sending him shooting backwards and slamming into a tree, making an impression.

"If this is the best that you can do, then I suggest you give up now. Hmph, and you call yourself a ninja, get real." Sasuke said coolly as he glared emotionlessly at his pathetic excuse for an opponent.

As he picked himself up slowly, the Grass ninja caught Sasuke's words and glared up at the Uchiha with all the hatred he had. It almost struck fear in Sasuke's heart, "almost" being the key word.

"You snot nosed pick!! How **dare **you insult my skills?!! You're nothing but rookie whose too sure of himself, a bastard who was blessed with good genes!!" the Grass ninja screamed out in fury. There was no way he was going to be insulted by a kid with a swelled head.

"Hn" Sasuke replied, unfazed by the Grass ninja's words. It didn't hurt when people said it before, and it didn't hurt now. Sasuke's apathetic attitude only succeeded pissing the Grass ninja off even more. If he were to get even angrier, he'd probably bust a brain vessel.

"Alright fine, you stuck up little shit!! I'm through playing around!" the Grass ninja bellowed. "I'll show you the true strength of my kekkei genkai!! By the time this is over, you'll be begging for a quick death! Not even your Sharingan will be able to save you!!"

The Grass ninja then made the "Ram" hand seal, and concentrated his chakra. Sasuke, intrigued by what the Grass ninja was doing, watched on. The tree under which the Grass ninja stood began to shake and tremble as though it were coming to life. As Sasuke stared up at it, he noticed that the tree was moving and rustling because the vines in it were moving, slithering through it's branches like snakes. After a few minutes, a compressed green ball, the size of Sasuke's fist and made completely out of vines, dropped from the tree and landed directly at the Grass ninja's feet. The Grass ninja picked it up, put it in his mouth, chewed it.....and swallowed it, an act that caught Sasuke off guard, but he did not show it on the outside.

Suddenly, the white part of the Grass ninja's eyes turned red while the pupils and iris of both of his eyes turned light green. Next, his skin turned a sickening green color and thick vine tentacles poked up through his skin and wiggled here and there like long worms. The Grass ninja then removed his shirt, showing that the vine tentacles were all over his body, moving on their own, and thorns protruded along the underside of his arms, his elbows, and a long thorn was on either of his shoulder blades, in the shape of scythe blades just like the ones along the underside of his arms. His nails became black claws and lastly, and most shocking, was the thick vine tail that protruded from his tail bone, covered in serrated thorns. The Grass ninja had transformed into a monster right before Sasuke's eyes.

"How do you like me now Uchiha?" the Grass ninja said, his voice being th only thing that remained the same.

Sasuke didn't reply, instead he charged forward with his break neck speed, appearing to teleport as he jumped into the air toward the Grass ninja with Chidori charged in his hand. However, this time the Grass ninja saw the attack and moved out of the way in the nick of time, just as Sasuke reached him and slammed his Chidori charged hand in the spot where the Grass ninja was previously, causing the ground around him to shatter apart and thus creating a sizable crater. Thinking that the Grass ninja had gotten lucky, Sasuke channeled the Chidori into his hand again and lunged at his opponent with his blazing speed. The Grass ninja dodged again and Sasuke ended up shattering apart the tree that was behind his opponent.

'_Something's different this time. How is it that he's able to see my movements? A minute ago, his eyes couldn't even keep up with my sidestep. Yet he's now able to read my moves so clearly all of a sudden.' _Sasuke thought as he turned to face his opponent-turned-monster.

"You're wondering how I'm able to see you moves all of a sudden, aren't you? Well you see, it's these new eyes of mine." the Grass ninja said, motioning to his strange-colored eyes. "They allow me to track the chakra of my opponent even if they are moving at near the speed of light. So you're fast moving attacks aren't going to catch me off guard anymore, Uchiha brat."

The Grass ninja then lengthened his black claws and charged forward with his new speed, equal to Sasuke's, and began slashing at the Uchiha furiously. Sasuke used his sharp reflexes to dodge each slash, although barely, and he knew that he had create some distance quickly. If he slipped up even once, it'd be his last mistake. Concentrating his chakra as he dodged, Sasuke felt the familiar tingle throughout his body and allowed the lightening chakra to come forth.

"Chidori Stream!" Sasuke called out as his entire body erupted with the Chidori. The Grass was thrown back by the strong current of electricity, but quickly caught himself before he could hit the ground. The Grass ninja had no time to react, however, when Sasuke charged forward, the Chidori Stream still active, and roundhouse kicked him across the chest, sending him flying into a tree with his body momentarily stunned from the electricity.

Not wanting to give his opponent any time to recover, Sasuke went through a number of familiar hand seals and blew a large fireball from his mouth that barreled toward the tree his opponent had been kicked into, and within seconds, the tree went up in flames. Sasuke didn't let his guard down, as he had a feeling his target was till alive. Sure enough, the Grass ninja emerged up from the ground a few feet away from where Sasuke stood. The electricity around Sasuke began to die down until it had dissipated completely.

"That was good, but not good enough. You're gonna have to try harder than that if you want to kill me!!" the Grass ninja said, raising his voice.

Again, Sasuke did not respond with a comeback. Instead, he made the "Ram" hand seal and began to concentrate his chakra. However, not wanting his opponent to complete whatever jutsu he was going to do, the Grass ninja raised his arm and a series of vine tentacles shot forward and wrapped themselves around Sasuke. With a hard yank, Sasuke's feet left the ground as he sailed through the air from being pulled against his will towards his opponent. Thinking quickly, Sasuke began to channel lightning chakra throughout his body, but before he could activate the Chidori Stream, the Grass ninja's deadly tail shot forward and gored Sasuke through the stomach as the raven got closer. Pain erupted throughout Sasuke's body and he began to cough up blood.

"I told you not underestimate me Uchiha. Now you die" the Grass ninja said as he turned his tail towards him so that Sasuke was facing him. He then lengthened his claws as he prepared to rip Sasuke's heart out. Before he could land the final killing blow, Sasuke began to radiate with electricity and dematerialize. Suddenly, Sasuke exploded in a flash of electricity like a lightning bolt striking the ground, giving the Grass ninja a nasty shock and creating a small crater in the ground. The real Sasuke emerged from the ground a few feet away from the blast site, unharmed.

A few minutes later, the Grass ninja rose up from the crater with scratches and burn marks all over his body, exposing the vines that were underneath his skin. When he saw the real Sasuke standing there smirking at him, his anger returned with a vengeance.

"Just what the hell are smirking at, you brat?! And what the hell just happened anyway?!! I was sure I had you in my grasp!" the Grass ninja yelled out in anger.

"That wasn't me you thought you had. That was a lightning doppleganger" Sasuke said calmly.

"A what?!" the Grass ninja shot back angrily.

"It was a shadow clone infused with my lightning chakra. Whenever it is struck, it reverts back to its natural lightning state, giving a nasty shock to whatever it is touching. The shock can even be fatal, depending on how much chakra the user puts into it. I thought I had put in enough chakra to kill you, but I guess you can take more damage than I thought." Sasuke explained coolly.

Sasuke's calm and smug attitude just continued to piss the Grass ninja off more and more. Simply hearing Sasuke's voice pissed him off to no end. Sasuke's voice seemed to mock him with each word, making a mockery of him. Here he was, one of the strongest shinobi of his village, and he was being shown up by a mere child. If he did manage to walk away from this fight, word would get out that he had lost to rookie and he'd never be able to live it down. This just intensified his anger even more. He was **NOT **about to be outdone by this overly calm amateur. This was no longer about advancing to Chunin. No, this was now about respect. He would defeat this brat and walk away with his pride, and he'd be damned if he let this kid continue to make fun of and disrespect him. By now, the Grass ninja had become so enraged, that he was literally seeing red as he glared at Sasuke. Any word that could describe his hatred toward Sasuke and any other Uchiha at that point would've been an understatement.

"Don't mess with me!! I'm better than you! My ability is flawless.....it's a jutsu that is unbeatable! Don't you get it, you stinking Uchiha?!! I'm better than you!! Therefore I **CANNOT **lose!" the Grass ninja roared with all of his rage, his saliva flying with each word. Sasuke, however, stood unfazed by his opponent's outburst and continued to glare emotionlessly at him.

"There's no way I'm gonna lose to such a.....lose to such a....." the Grass ninja let his voice trail off as he bit his lower lip in frustration. In fact, he bit his lip so hard that it bleed and a thin trail of blood slid down to his chin. However, the Grass ninja was too pissed off to even notice. As he glared at Sasuke, the Grass ninja thought of one move that was sure to do the trick and bring this punk to his knees. Without giving it further thought, the Grass ninja quickly went through a set of hand seals that the Sharingan read, but could not recognize.

"Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: One Thousand Cherry Blossoms of Brutal Shadows" the Grass ninja said in an eerily calm voice. Suddenly, hundreds of roses began to sprout up from the ground all over the place. However, these roses were different from normal roses as they had cherry blossom petals instead of the petals that roses usually had. The roses continued to sprout up until they were all around Sasuke and the Grass ninja. As Sasuke observed these strange looking roses, they began to pop in clusters, dispersing their cherry blossom petals into the air around the two adversaries.

Seeing that Sasuke was now distracted by the petals, the Grass ninja made the "Dragon" hand seal and the petals suddenly came to life. They flew to and fro through the air eerily, and strangely, they shined in the sunlight as though they were made of metal. They then settled behind the Grass ninja and hovered in mid air behind him. One of them flew forward and zipped past Sasuke's cheek.....and actually made a cut!! A small, thin cut formed on Sasuke's cheek and it began to bleed small drops of blood. As though smelling blood in the water, the other petals abruptly surged forward. Realizing that these were not normal petals, Sasuke moved to the side at the last minute and the cherry blossom petals flew past him harmlessly. Thinking the petals had missed, Sasuke let his guard down and was about to charge at the Grass ninja when he heard what sounded like hundreds of blades clanging together. Looking back, Sasuke's eyes widened to see that the cherry blossom petals had circled around and were now coming at him again.

Sasuke did a number of amazing backflips in order to stay ahead of the petal blades, but he eventually had to use some of his chakra speed since the petals blades began to pick up speed. Sasuke ran and jumped throughout the battlefield, dodging the petal blades left and right and barely managing to stay ahead. As though that wasn't difficult enough, the pink mass of blades divided up into a number of small clusters and came at Sasuke from different angles as he ran along. Now Sasuke had to move twice as fast in order to stay alive. Whenever he dodged one cluster of blades, another one would already be on him. Along the way, Sasuke did falter a few times and he now had fresh cuts all over his body and his clothes were torn a little bit also. Sasuke knew that he couldn't keep this rate up for long, so if he didn't think of way to get out of this, he'd be a goner.

Sasuke pulled out his sword, charged it with lightning chakra, and full speed at a blade cluster that was heading for him. He managed to slice right through it, but was surprised when the cluster formed back together again and came at him. Sasuke cut the blade clusters away as they came at him, but they would reform and then come at him again full speed. Sasuke had to keep moving as he cut the clusters to pieces as they came at him. If he stayed in the same spot, they would surround him and close in. If that happened, he'd be cut to pieces. A few of the clusters became thin wisps and surrounded him, forcing him to stop dead in his tracks. If he ran into them, he'd be minced meat. Just as Sasuke feared, the wisps of petal blades closed in on him for the kill. Sasuke channeled lightning chakra throughout his body and activated the Chidori Stream before the petal blades could get to him, only managing to push them back to a safe distance away from him. His body still radiating with electricity, Sasuke glared at the cherry blossom blades that surrounded him. Some in the shape of large clusters, while others in the shape of thin wisps. They surrounded Sasuke like a thick fog. Suddenly, Sasuke heard laughter and recognized it as the Grass ninja.

"There's no point in fighting Uchiha. These petal blades are harder than any steel, thanks to my chakra. Once they harden up, each petal becomes a blade that is capable of slicing even through bone at unimaginable speeds. Just one of them could cut straight through your body and rupture one of your vital organs and you'd barely notice. Thousands of them, like the ones that surround you now, could your body to pieces until there would be nothing left, not even your clothes left behind. They can even take on different shapes for all kinds of situations. And the best part is, their indestructible. They can survive anything you throw at them and keep on coming back until their target is dead. Dace it Uchiha, you've met you match." the Grass ninja explained in triumph. "I must admit, your only the second who has ever forced me to go this far, but this is where it ends!! This is the ultimate strength of my kekkei genkai!!

True to the user's words, the clusters of pink cherry blossom blades began to form mash against one another until they formed a different recognizable shape, namely that of an animal. Half of the clusters had merged themselves together to form wolves and the other half had merged together to form large snakes.

"Attack!!" the Grass ninja commanded. The petal blade animals followed their master's command and charged forward at their prey. Sasuke's sword surged and radiated with lightning chakra until it became more concentrated around the blade, forming the Lightning Blade. Sasuke cut the blade creatures down as they came at him, but they would reform and attacks again and again. Sasuke stayed one step ahead and continued to hack away at them. Sometime during the battle, Sasuke slid his shirt and from his upper body and let it hand around his wait so that he could move a little faster. It helped a little but not by much. Sasuke moved back as the petal blade snakes lunged at him, striking the ground where he was only a few seconds ago. They lunged again, but Sasuke manged to cut them away. However, he was grazed by a few wisps of blades that made deep cuts into his skin. As the petal blade wolves lunged at him, Sasuke did a number of backflips and landed on a tree branch to buy him some time to calculate what he was going to do next.

'_This isn't getting me anywhere. I can slash at these things until I turn black and blue, but they'll still just keep coming at me. And each mistake I make has the potential to be my last. As if all that wasn't frustrating enough, these things can't be completely destroyed either. So what the hell am I supposed to do now?' _Sasuke thought. And then he saw his answer. As he glanced at the Grass ninja, Sasuke saw that he still had that "Dragon" hand seal in place. Sasuke hypothesized that if the Grass ninja breaks the hand seal, the jutsu would be canceled. The hard part was getting to him since he was guarded by all of the petal blade animals. Either way, if he was going to survive, he had to do it.

Sasuke took a deep breath, charged his sword with fire chakra this time, the blade turning bright reddish orange, and then charged forward towards his target. Sasuke hacked and slashed his way through the petal blade creatures as he ran forward, never stopping for even a second. He received a few more deep cuts here and there, but he still kept fighting as he moved forward. Finally, with a burst of speed, Sasuke reached the Grass ninja, reared his scorching blade back, and swung with the intent to cut off his opponent's head. However, Sasuke's blade was stopped a few inches from his face by one of the small petal blade clusters that surrounded him. Sasuke tried again and again to attack, but the petal blade clusters acted as automated shields and stopped each attack.

"Give it up! There's no way you can break through this ultimate defense." the Grass ninja taunted. He then formed the petal blade cluster's into a tentacle that slapped Sasuke across the chest. The cut wasn't that big or deep, but the force from the blow sent Sasuke back a few feet across the ground. The Grass ninja then dispersed the petal blade animals, formed the blades into one huge cluster, and then that one huge cluster split half. One half of the cluster of blades formed into a giant rectangle and the half formed into a pyramid. Sasuke stared at these two shapes confusedly as he picked himself up. The millions of petal blades that formed the two shapes were densely packed, making them impossible to destroy. The huge pyramid then slowly rose into the sky and a number of long needles protruded from the bottom towards Sasuke, but stopped midway. The thick needles then suddenly spread out into spikes that branched off irregularly. **(Basically, this is the move that Sasori used against Sakura right before the Third Kazekage puppet was destroyed. If you don't know what I'm talking about, send me a review and I'll clearify. This technique is sort of hard to describe, so it's okay if you can't quite follow.)**

The branching spikes then shot towards Sasuke at alarming speeds. The fact that the spikes branched out irregularly made the attack difficult to evade and Sasuke was nearly impaled as he moved every which-way in order to stay at least one step ahead. Luckily, Sasuke's wits paid off and he managed to survive the attack with only a few minor scratches on his arms, chest, legs, and back. Unfortunately, Sasuke found himself trapped in the spikes that surrounded him like a forest. Suddenly, the spikes the n dispersed back into millions of tiny blade petals that then flew back up into the pyramid. As Sasuke looked around, he only one question came to mind. _'Where did the rectangle formation go?'_

The Uchiha got his answer when the gigantic pyramid moved out of the way to reveal the huge rectangular formation falling from sky right above Sasuke's head at alarming speed! It was already halfway to the ground as it barreled through the clouds, picking up more and more speed as it fell straight down. Sasuke fought through the pain and ran until he almost out of range of the falling projectile, but the rectangular formation was only a few feet above him now, and in a few seconds, Sasuke would be crushed. Fortunately, Sasuke managed to leap the last few inches out of the way as the rectangular projectile crashed into the ground like a ton of iron, creating a huge crater and sending the Uchiha a few feet away due to the shockwave. But it wasn't over yet. The enormous rectangle then rose back up into the sky and merged with the pyramid, the triangular object now on top of the rectangle. The long, thick needles protruded from the bottom of the rectangle this time and branched out irregularly into spikes like last time. The irregular branched out pike then fell to the ground and Sasuke was once again forced to use his sharp wits to avoid being impale. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief after managing to dodge the attack a second time, but quickly sucked that sigh back in when he looked up and saw that the rectangle was now falling again. This time, however, Sasuke had nowhere to go. The branched out spikes formed a dense forest that Sasuke could not move through. Even if he could, he'd never be able to maneuver through the grooves in time to escape the rectangular formation. He was trapped and all he could do was watch jis end come crashing down on his head.

Within what seemed like only a few seconds, the rectangular anvil crashed down on the Earth again, crushing Sasuke under it's tremendous weight. Seeing this, the Grass ninja began to laugh maniacally. He then released the "Dragon" hand seal and the jutsu dispersed back into millions of harmless flower petals that were blown away by the wind.

"I did it! I've won!!" the Grass ninja called out triumphantly as he threw his arms into the air in victory. He knew that jutsu would work, considering it was his second strongest attack. He'd only used it once before and now it had helped out of yet another jam. And here that Uchiha was, thinking he was so unbeatable. Well he thought wrong!! Once word got out that he had defeated an Uchiha, he'd be respected far and wide, he just knew it. However, the Grass ninja's victory celebration was cut short when Sasuke shot up from the ground right at the Grass ninja's feet and landed a solid uppercut to the bastard's jaw, knocking him back and onto the ground.** (Now think about a double replay of Sasuke doing that. It adds more effect)**

The Grass ninja spit out the blood that had accumulated in his mouth from the punch and looked up at Sasuke in disbelief.

"B-B-B-But how?! I know you got crushed by my attack!! I **saw **it happen!" the Grass ninja exclaimed, disbelief written all over his face. There's no way someone could survive that jutsu. He had designed it himself to be inescapable!

"No, what you saw was genjutsu. From your vision, you saw me getting crushed. In actuality, I used the Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu to tunnel underground, and avoid the attack. After that, I waited for you to cancel the jutsu before emerging from the ground again from right under you. I also had to mask my chakra so you wouldn't know I was there." Sasuke explained calmly, his face showing no emotion. He was covered in scratches and dirt, but other than that, he was fine. He now towered over the Grass ninja, his sword in hand.

"But....when did you cast the genjutsu?" the Grass ninja asked, not understanding how he had been caught.

"It was when I reached you and tried to attack. While you explained how impenetrable your defense was, we made eye contact for a minute. That was all the time I needed. Just goes to show that you talk too much." Sasuke explained.

"By the way, I guess this also means that your jutsu isn't as escape proof as you think" Sasuke taunted, just to add insult to injury.

That did it. Something within the Grass ninja snapped at that moment, and not only did his rage return, it returned times 2. He became so enraged at that moment that his vision turned an even darker shade of red and his breathing increased dramatically, putting him on the verge of having an anxiety attack. His jutsu was perfect and nobody insulted it, **NOBODY. **

"You....**YOU PIECE OF SHIT, HOW FUCKING DARE YOU?!!**" the Grass ninja hollered in rage. "You've got some nerve, you know that? How dare you insult my jutsu and then brag about it?! Besides, you barely managed to get away as it is, and you insult **me**. I'll tear you apart! Then we'll see who laughs last!"

The Grass ninja them n pushed himself away from Sasuke and did a number of backflips in order to create more distance between him and his adversary, but fell back down again from exhaustion. He then reached into the weapons pouch on his hips and ate the small food pill that he pulled out. Feeling the energy surging through his body, the Grass ninja quickly went through a number of different, and unfamiliar, hand seals.

'_The effects of this food pill will only last for 3 minutes, so this will have to be last attack. I have to put everything I've got into this one and really make it count. Heh, never thought a Genin would push me to use **this **jutsu' _the Grass ninja thought to himself as he concentrated his chakra and let his power and hatred flow from in waves. He then noticed that Sasuke was just standing there watching him, which confused the hell out of the Grass ninja.

"Hey, shouldn't you be panicking a little? I know you can feel my power from where you are!" the Grass ninja yelled out. But Sasuke just continued to stare at him, with the Sharingan still activated and his face expressionless. Seeing that Sasuke wasn't going to answer him, the Grass ninja actually began to chuckle softly, which seemed kind of weird.

"**THAT'S WHAT PISSES ME OFF THE MOST ABOUT YOU UHICHAS!!**" the Grass ninja suddenly hollered out in blind rage. "You're always trying to act cool, even in the face of danger! Well I'm about to fix that, with my ultimate jutsu! Consider this an honor, as you will be the first to ever see this new forbidden technique!

The Grass rose to his feet and went through the same hand seals he did to induce his transformation. The vines within the Grass shinobi's body slithered out from under his skin and began to merge into a ball a few inches in front of his chest. The ball grew large at first, but was then decompressed by the Grass ninja's chakra into the size of a golf ball. After making a couple of hand seals, the compressed ball of vines began to glow black with dark chakra. It then floated up to the Grass ninja's mouth, who then pulled it into his mouth with his tongue, chewed it, and then swallowed it.

"Now, bare witness to perfection!" the Grass ninja said as he inhaled and then began to throw up a dark green liquid as he exhaled. The green liquid began to collect in a pool right in between the two adversaries, and now Sasuke was beginning to feel uneasy. His emotionless mask broke and Sasuke now had a look of confusion, but only momentarily.

After the Grass ninja went through a number of different hand seals, the green liquid began to bubble as though it were being heated by something and then it began to rise up from the ground. The strange substance began to froth and bulge as it took the shape of something, and for a minute, Sasuke thought he'd heard it growl. The liquid expanded as it rose higher and higher until it towered over Sasuke like a giant wall made of some kind of green liquid. Suddenly, the liquid formed together until it resembled a thick string of spaghetti.

The top part of the liquid string began to bulge until it formed what appeared to be a head of some kind. The rest of the liquid formed into strange shapes that Sasuke could not identify. Finally, the liquid solidified. The thick string of liquid spaghetti became a thick stem, the bulged part at the front became a large purple head with a mouth, but no eyes, and the forms that Sasuke could not identify were actually leaves. In front of Sasuke now towered a huge man-eating plant. It opened it's mouth as it hissed, revealing row upon row of serrated, razor-sharp teeth. (Well, there goes the possibility of it being harmless). The only thing other thing unusual, besides its huge size, was the fact that thing still didn't have any eyes.

Now that his monster had been created, the Grass ninja made the "Ram" hand seal and he sunk underground, only to reemerge from on top of the mutant plant's head, at least, his upper body did. The rest of the Grass ninja's body was still inside of the plant's head. With twisted glee, the Grass shinobi glared down at Sasuke.

"Behold, Ninja Art of Plant Manipulation: Vegetation of Death and Destruction!!" the Grass ninja exclaimed, throwing his hands up in assured victory. "Now you will know the true meaning pain and suffering!"

The crazed Grass ninja then went through a series of hand seals, and number of smaller versions of the giant man-eating plant began to emerge from the ground. They had the bodies of snakes, but the head of the monster plant. They lunged at Sasuke, who cut them down as they came within striking distance. Sasuke hacked and hacked away, but the number of plants kept coming. It seemed that with each plant Sasuke destroyed, two more would take it's place.

"Cut all you want, but they'll keep coming no matter how many you destroy. They come from the mother plant herself. Do you see now? You cannot defeat this jutsu! This is the ultimate technique! Gaze upon it, beg for life, cower in fear, in despair, SCREAM!!" the Grass ninja proclaimed as he laughed like a maniac.

Sasuke continued to cut down the plants as they came at him, but there were simply to many of them. In order to stop them for good and cancel the jutsu, Sasuke would have to kill the Grass ninja himself since he was the "root". However, that was easier said than done. Luckily, Sasuke had a jutsu that would do the trick. It would destroy the plants and the Grass shinobi with one swing of his sword. Before he could swing his sword, Sasuke got a really bad feeling in his gut. For some reason, Sasuke just happened to look in Sakura's direction and was horrified to see a 7ft. tall monster about to knock Sakura's head off of her shoulders. Without another thought Sasuke used his maximum chakra enhance speed and teleported to Sakura's location and whisked the girl to safety just as her opponent swung one of his massive vine covered arms. Sasuke sat Sakura up against a nearby tree so that she could catch her breath.

* * *

"You......you little **BITCH!!!! I ALMOST DIED!!**" the Grass ninja said as he raised his thorn covered hand, preparing to knock Sakura's head off her shoulders.

Sakura's eyes widened. She no energy to defend herself. No energy to block or even move out of the way. She didn't have enough energy to reach for another food pill or anything else for that matter. All she could do was stand there and wait for the blow to be struck. Hopefully, it would come quick and she wouldn't have to suffer. That was the only thought that ran through Sakura's mind.

Suddenly, almost in the blink of an eye, Sakura found herself in Sasuke's arms as he set up against a tree. Now the girl was really baffled, she sure she was just at the mercy of her opponent and he was about to literally knock her head off her shoulders. Now, a second later, she was sitting up against tree.

"Sasuke?.....but I thought...." Sakura was unable to finish her sentence as she was still a little confused.

"You're safe for right now Sakura. I managed to save you right before that bastard could swing. Are you alright?" Sasuke explained as he helped Sakura control her breathing.

"Yeah...I think so. Thank you." Sakura said, grateful that she hadn't gone off on her own to fight her opponent. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here right now. She then glanced behind Sasuke and her eyes widened in terror. "Hey, Sasuke, we can't relax just yet. Look behind you."

Sasuke looked behind him as Sakura instructed and was inwardly horrified to see both Grass ninjas in their transformed states coming at them.

"Don't think you can stall our fight by saving you friend. This is far from being over!" Sasuke's opponent said as he charged with his teammate.

"Yeah, in fact, you just put her in danger. Now me and my brother can destroy both of you at once!" Sakura's opponent yelled he launched a series of thick vine tentacles at them while his brother sent his vicious plants.

Reacting calmly, Sasuke stood in front of Sakura and charged his sword with concentrated lightning chakra, forming the Lightning Blade. It seemed like it was too much power, but he would need it for what he was about to do.

"Lightning Style: Death Wave" Sasuke said as he gracefully swung as hard as he could, sending out a massive wave of lightning. The Grass shinobi saw the attack coming at them, but had nowhere to go, nor could they stop in time to dodge or even deflect. The lighting wave swept over them and vaporized them into nothing more than microscopic dust particles that were carried away by the wind. The Lightning blast exploded as it hit its targets, obliterating them and the some of the surrounding forest. All that was left after that attack settled away was a large gaping crater that was still slightly smoldering.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as Sasuke re-sheathed his sword. Now that those two had been taken care of, they only had one more to deal with. Sasuke turned to glare at Shiore with his Sharingan eyes, but the woman simply smiled deviously as she began to clap.

"Bravo, bravo, dear rookies. I honestly didn't think you manage to defeat my teammates at their maximum power, let alone at the same time. I must admit, you rookies are far different from the others. Just full of surprises, aren't you" Shiore said as she finished clapping.

"Your compliments aren't necessary, give us your scroll and we'll let you peacefully. At least you'll be able to walk away with you life since you won't be able to go on without you teammates anyway." Sasuke said with attitude at the woman.

This woman was far different from her teammates. He could feel her killing intent even from he and Sakura were and he automatically knew that she was strongest in the group. Hopefully, she would give up her scroll and go. If not, then Sasuke would simply go full power. He had some food pills in his pouch that would give him extra energy, which he would undoubtedly need if this woman decided to attack instead of surrender. He had a feeling it would be the latter.

'_What's with this woman? Her teammates just got slaughtered and she doesn't even care. In fact, she did nothing to help them and now she's even congratulating us for beating them. If she isn't the definition of heartless, then I don't know what is. And her killing intent is nearly overwhelming.' _Sakura thought from her position on the ground. She didn't like this woman, not at all. In fact, she creeped Sakura out even more than the forest itself did. And it was just her bad luck that Sakura had to fight her, of all people. Hell, she'd rather fight Ino right now than go against this freak. If the other two were already that strong, then she couldn't even imagine how strong this woman must be.

"Sorry dear boy, but I'm afraid I won't be backing down that easily. You see, I'm more than happy to show off my skills. And I have a feeling I'll be more of a challenge than my other comrades." Shiore said as she licked her lips with her snake-like tongue. Her eyes narrowed and her voice took on a dangerous tone. "I'll tell you what: if you can beat me, then you can have my scroll. But if you lose, then I get you souls. Do we have a deal?

Sasuke pondered Shiore's words for moment.

"It's a deal." Sasuke said calmly. This, of course, terrified the hell out of Sakura because she didn't want to fight the evil woman. However, Sasuke had just saved her so she felt that she owed it to him to be there. After all, she wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for him. So, with reluctance, she swallowed her fear and slowly rose to her feet, an action that did not go unnoticed by Sasuke.

"Sakura you sit this one out. Let me take care of her" Sasuke ordered.

"But Sasuke, she's really strong and you might need some help. Besides, I owe you one for saving me." Sakura protested.

"Don't worry about me and you don't owe me anything. I can handle it. Besides, you're too exhausted and you have practically no chakra left. Sit down and rest. I'll take it from here. Afterwards, we can try and locate Naruto." Sasuke argued. He wasn't about to let Sakura rush into danger. If he did and something happened to her, Naruto would never forgive him. Otherwise, Sasuke would let Sakura go right ahead.

Sakura was about to protest further, but she decided not to since she wouldn't win anyway. With a sigh of defeat, Sakura sat down, and after making the "Ram" hand seal, she began to replenish her lost chakra. However, Sakura secretly decided that if things began to get to hairy, then she would eat one of her remaining food pills and step in, regardless of the danger.

After Sakura had sat back down and gathered her much needed strength back, Sasuke turned his attention back to Shiore. Seeing that she now had both shinobi in the palm of her hand, Shiore smile turned even more sinister and her eyes now held a wild look in them. Suddenly, by looking into her eyes, Sasuke and Sakura began to see visions of their deaths once again. This time, however, Sakura did not have enough chakra to break the illusion, so both Squad 7 members were forced to watch their gruesome ends. Suddenly, two kunai embedded themselves in their foreheads, both Sasuke and Sakura snapped back to reality, too terrified to move. They'd had enough chakra to resist the genjutsu's effects. Now they were fatigued and the effect had even more power now than it did before.

'_Damn it, I forgot that she could do that. It must some kind of ocular genjutsu caused by her killing intent alone. It's almost as bad as Naruto's was. Not only that, I can't move by body. Perfect, it's a paralysis jutsu too' _Sasuke thought, as he tried to move his body, but found that his body had gone numb, both from fear and the the effects of the genjutsu. Sasuke then glanced at Sakura and saw that the poor girl was shaking, her eyes wide, and on the verge of having a mental breakdown. She was just as shaken up as Sasuke was, which didn't help at all.

Seeing that her prey were now a couple of sitting ducks. Shiore reached into her weapons pouch and threw two kunai that sailed through the air toward the two Leaf shinobi, just as it happened in the genjutsu vision.

Sasuke knew that he had to do something. Otherwise, it was game over for both him and Sakura. Fighting the effects of the genjutsu, Sasuke used all of his inner strength to move his hand to his weapons pouch. As Sasuke reached, everything seemed to move in slow motion as Sasuke fought against time.

'_Move damn it, move!! I've gotta hurry!" _Sasuke thought as he pulled out a kunai. Holding it in the air, Sasuke used all the strength he had and stabbed the kunai into his calf muscle as hard as he could. Pain seared through his entire leg, which helped to wake up and overcome the genjutsu's effects. Without wasting another moment, Sasuke grabbed Sakura and bounded off into the forest through the tress to recuperate just as the kunai reached the previous location and embedded them selves into a tree trunk instead of human flesh and tissue.

Shiore smiled up at Squad 7 as she watched bound off to another location. She couldn't help it, she filled with too much anticipation. Finally, a good challenge. Now that she had shaken them up, they were sure to give it their all and give her a real challenge, especially Sasuke. He interested the female Grass shinobi the most with his calm exterior and amazing power.

'_The hunt is on. I'll give them a head start and then go after them.' _Shiore thought as she let out a dark chuckle. "You had better not disappoint me, _Sasuke-kun_."

**Alright, that concludes this chapter and I hope you all enjoyed it. It took hours to write, but I think I did a good job. However, that's for you guys to decide. Review and tell me what you guys think. Next up, Sasuke and Sakura fight Shiore. How will that turn out, stay tuned and find out in the next chapter. Until then, stay gold people. And don't worry, Naruto will catch up with everyone when it's time.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Just to let you guys know, the Chunin Exams Saga will have little to no yaoi scenes. There will still be a few romance scenes here and there, but not much. The Chunin Exam Saga mostly focuses on the action rather then the romance. However, the romance will return during the break right after the preliminaries are over, so rest assured on that. After the last part of the exams are over, the romance will return to the spotlight and there will be yaoi scenes there-after. Just thought I should let you all know that before you start complaining that there aren't enough yaoi scenes. There will be more shortly. I just need to get this out of the way first because it furthers the plot later on. So with all of that said, here's the next awaited chapter and I'm glad you guys have enjoyed the story thus far. Tell others if you want.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 26.**

Sasuke and Sakura sat high above the ground on one of the thickest and biggest trees in the entire forest, resting after their fight with Team Shiore. Both of them were pretty beaten up with numerous scratch marks, cuts, and bruises on their bodies and they had just barely escaped death if not for Sasuke's quick thinking. There was no telling how long they had before Shiore came looking for them, so they had to be ready and keep their guard up at all times. They had both managed to get over the effects of Shiore's genjutsu by now and were catching their breath while thinking about what they should do next.

Sasuke pulled the kunai out of his leg as he contemplated his options: track down Shiore before she found them, allow themselves to be found and have it out right there, or they could flee. Neither option was as easy as the other, and both members of Squad 7 were getting a headache from thinking about it. Sasuke grimaced with pain and watched as a little blood spurted from his leg. Sakura gathered what chakra she could and began to immediately heal Sasuke's injury, or risk it getting infected and slowing him down later on.

'_That woman.....she said that she was the strongest in her squad and I can see why. She's able to cast a genjutsu with the intensity of her thirst for blood. Not even Naruto can do that! I can't hold anything back when I go against her. For all I know, this might be my last fight.' _Sasuke thought, breathing heavily as Sakura healed the new open wound, as well as the numerous others he had. However, the Uchiha was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Sakura's voice.

"Sasuke-kun....are you you okay?" Sakura asked after noticing how hard Sasuke was breathing. If he kept doing that, she was afraid that he'd suffer an anxiety attack and that was the **LAST** thing they needed right now. Sakura was about to ask again, but Sasuke firmly clamped his hand over her mouth to stop her from speaking from another word, afraid that her voice would give away their positions. After giving it a little more thought, Sasuke decided that it would be best if they flee. It was cowardly of him, sure, but they were against an opponent that was simply too strong for them, and ontop of that, they wanted to live to fight another day. Cautiously, Sasuke looked over his shoulder to make sure they had not been followed.

'_If we're going to flee, we need to do it now before we get discovered here. But how do we flee....? How do we escape from an opponent like her?!' _Sasuke thought while visibly shaking and his eyes wide. Sakura looked on in worry as she watched her usually stoic teammate begin to crack apart mentally more and more right in front of her eyes.

'_I've never seen Sasuke.....so worked up like this before. Usually he's in control of himself, but now he looks like a total wreck.' _Sakura thought to herself. For as long as she had known Sasuke, Sakura had always seen the calm, emotionless side of Sasuke. Even when they were training with Kakashi and they had been put through one seeming hopeless situation after another, Sasuke had always managed to remain calm and think clearly before acting. He'd never let the enemy get to him like Shiore was doing and it shocked Sakura almost as much as the thought of Naruto ever giving up on something. If even Sasuke was trippin like this, then they had no chance of beating this woman. There was just no way. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed over Sakura, alerting the pinkette to the ominous presence behind her. Turning around, Sakura scream of terror was choked in her throat as she came face to face with the largest snake she had ever seen. In fact, it was too large to be a normal snake. It 's forked tongue slithered back as it eyed Sakura and Sasuke hungrily.

Sakura struggled to scream, but only managed to produce muffled cries. After thinking through her panic for a few seconds, Sakura came to realize that Sasuke's hand was still over her mouth. She tore it away just as the snake began to rear back, preparing to strike.

"Sasuke-kun, a snake!" Sakura screamed out in terror.

Sasuke looked back in front of him and let out a gasp as he saw giant snake about to swallow them both whole. Sasuke and Sakura both jumped to the opposite side of each other as the snake struck, seeking it's fangs deep into the branch.

'_Damn it! I was so shaken up that I didn't even sense the snake!' _Sasuke thought, as he sailed backwards through the air and landed and a tree branch. The snake coiled itself around the trunk of a tree and lunged at Sasuke as it came back around. It came closer, Sasuke saw the giant image of Shiore looming behind the snake, which scared Sasuke to no end. He even let out a holler as began to see his own death again.

"Don't come any closer!" Sasuke shouted as he pulled out a hand full of shuriken. He charged each of them with the Chidori and threw them at the lunging snake as hard as he could. Some of the electrically charged shurikens went through the snake's chin and out through its head while others went into the snake's open mouth and down it's throat, causing fatal damage to it's internal organs. The snake let out an angry hiss as it fell lifelessly on a thick tree branch under it, it's eyes glazed over and staring blankly ahead. Blood gushed from its mouth and open wounds like a garden hose spraying water. Finally the stream of blood stopped and it instead dripped every now and then from the carcass and down the tree onto the ground below.

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief tat the threat was now dead, but was forced to suck that breath back in when he noticed something trying to push it's way through the snake's neck. Finally, the skin of the snake's neck tore apart, only to reveal an unwelcome surprise underneath.

"Don't lower your guard, not even for a moment." Shiore said as she rose up from the corpse of the snake, covered in the snake's bodily fluids. "A prey must stay tense and try to flee desperately....while in the presence of a predator". Shiore then slowly licked her lips with her unnaturally long tongue as she eyed Sasuke and Sakura with a wild and evil look in her eye. Sasuke's eyes widened more and more both during and after Shiore's speech, not believing what he had just scene. Sakura was equally as shocked and could only let out a small gasp.

Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, Shiore lunged forward at Sasuke. Shocked, all Sasuke could do was throw up his hands in defense as Shiore reached him and roundhouse kicked him off the tree branch, causing the Uchiha to plummet to the ground below and land with a hard thud. As Sasuke opened his eyes and the dust cleared around him, he let out a gasp as Shiore loomed above him darkly like a menacing shadow.

"I'm disappointed Sasuke. I figured an Uchiha like you would've put up more of a fight than this." Shiore said before opening her mouth and producing a sword that it's hilt in the shape of a snake. "Now, carry your shame into the next world, you weakest of the Uchiha!" Shiore reared the swung down as hard as she could, intending to cut Sasuke in half.

Thinking quickly, Sasuke pulled out his sword and managed to block Shiore's attack, pushing back with all of his strength as Shiore added pressure from her end, trying to push her blade forward. Realizing that Shiore was about to overpower him, Sasuke released a burst of lightning chakra from his body that gave Shiore a nasty shock and sent her stumbling back a few feet. Using this opportunity, Sasuke lept to his feet and lunged at Shiore with his poised to deliver a killing blow. However, Shiore recovered a lot faster than Sasuke had expected and she counted the attack easily. From then on, the battle of swords began. Sasuke and Shiore fought with all they had, trying the hardest to best the other, but neither succeeding. Bursts of chakra were released each time their swords clashed, tearing about small tress and boulders that were around them. The entire forest with filled with the sound of clanging metal as the two warriors continued to fight each other on the forest floor.

Eventually, Sasuke was forced to use his chakra to enhance his peed, but even then, Shiore was able to keep up and block each of Sasuke's attacks and vice versa. After trying a few more times, Sasuke decided that he had to try something else or else this battle would continue to be a stale mate. After moving back from dodging a combo of Shiore's slashes, Sasuke charged lightning chakra into his sword and began to slash through the air, sending out shockwaves of lightning that they shot towards their target. Shiore was confused at first, but then smirked as she effortlessly dodged each shot, moving with smooth motion of clear water. The lightning shots tore through everything they came into contact with as missed Shiore, tearing down trees and slicing boulders to pieces as they sailed through the air and dissipated after going but so far. After easily dodging Sasuke's attack, Shiore poised her sword and charged at Sasuke at full speed with a sick gleeful look in her eye.

Sasuke was able to remain calm, and after forming the Chidori in his palm, Sasuke launched a wide series of senbon needles that were made completely out of lightning that shot towards the charging Shiore. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to dodge the oncoming attack, Shiore stopped and made the "Ram" hand seal, allowing her to sink underground to safety. As the Chidori senbon harmlessly embedded themselves into the spot where their target was previously, Shiore moved underground and burst forward and burst forward at Sasuke's feet. Sasuke, being to surprised to react, was caught completely off guard when Shiore stabbed him in the chest with her sword. However, it was Shiore's turn to be caught off guard when the Sasuke in front of her disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real Sasuke burst from the ground with the Chidori formed in his hand and thrusted the attack forward, nailing Shiore dead in the stomach. But the Uchiha wasn't done there. Sasuke then surged a huge burst of chakra into the attack and arcs of lightning shot from Shiore's body as she was electrocuted. The arcs of lightning vaporized the ground and some of the surrounding forest.

Above, Sakura had watched the entire battle abd stared in amazement at Sasuke's power as her mouth gaped open in shock. She hadn't known Sasuke could do something like that.

'_Whoa, Sasuke's power is incredible! There's no way that creepy woman could survive an attack of that kind of magnitude.' _Sakura thought as Shiore's burnt and smoking corpse fell to the ground and off of Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke gave a sigh of relief as he glared down down at Shiore's corpse. The female Grass ninja had out up quite a fight and she was no doubt the strongest in her squad, but Sasuke would be walking away victorious this time. After honoring Shiore's death as a shinobi, Sasuke turned and was about to walk away when a bone chilling voice cut through the air like a knife, making Sasuke's blood run colder than ice.

"Very impressive dear boy. I must admit, that attack could've taken me out had that've actually been me there" Shiore said as she emerged from the ground a few feet behind Sasuke. "If I was you, I'd take another look at that corpse behind you."

Sasuke slowly turned around and looked down at the body by his feet. There lied what was supposed to be Shiore's actual corpse. Instead, their laid a replica of Shiore that was made completely out of mud, meaning that it had been an Earth clone the entire time.

'_An Earth clone! But....that's impossible!! When did she......?' _Sasuke's thought voice trailed off in frustration. She was sure that he'd had her, but she had been one step ahead the entire time. Above, Sakura was thinking the same thing. She had seen what she thought was Shiore being fried to a crisp, so when did this happen?

'_That can't be right. I saw her get electrocuted, so when did she switch herself with an Earth clone?' _Sakura thought with a puzzled expression. '_It must've been when she was still underground.'_

Back on the forest floor, Shiore let out a dark chuckle as she raised her arm toward Sasuke and a stream of hissing snakes shot out and wrapped themselves around Sasuke as the Uchiha turned all the way around, forming a sphere that began to constrict around their victim. Sasuke struggled to free himself from Shiore's trap, but as the ball got smaller and smaller, Sasuke began to run out of space to move.

"There's no use in struggling my dear Uchiha. That ball will just keep smaller until the air and life is literally crushed out of you. Escape is near impossible I'm afraid." Shiore taunted as she watched her prey struggle even though it was futile.

However, Sasuke paid no mind to Shiore's words. Instead, he focused his lightning chakra and allowed it to surge through his entire body before letting it explode out of him, vaporizing the snakes to dust and freeing himself in the process. Shiore watched in surprise as Sasuke shot to his feet and leaped back up in the tree tops. Nobody had ever got out her snake trap before, therefore it was the perfect technique to test Sasuke's abilities. And she could honestly say that she liked what she saw. Perhaps she could toy with her prey a little longer. With a sinister smirk, Shiore went after Sasuke to continue the hunt.

* * *

After running at full speed to the spot where his teammates were supposed to be, Naruto finally made it. Apparently, he had been blown further away then he had originally thought and it had taken him longer than he had expected to get here. The first thing Naruto noticed upon his arrival was that the area.....was a mess!! Everywhere, trees were uprooted from the ground, others were blown to pieces, and the rest had chunks blown out of them. There numerous craters littered here and there. Some were small while others were wide enough to swallow up the smaller ones and just as deep. What really caught Naruto's eye was the giant black scorch mark where someone, or something, had been blasted away. All in all, the place looked like scene right out of of a war movie. Hardly a sound was heard as Naruto looked at the carnage in front of him. It was so quiet, in fact, that it began to make Naruto nervous.

'_Whoa....this place is a mess! Something BIG must have happened here!' _Naruto thought as he walked in the middle of the clearing. '_Sasuke and Sakura have got to see this!'_

Speaking of which, where were those two? After getting over the amazement, Naruto was just now noticing that his other two teammates were nowhere to be seen. Had he come to the wrong clearing? Just to be sure, Naruto began to sniff the air around him. Because of the Kyuubi sealed within his body, Naruto's sense of smell was far beyond that of a normal human's as well as his sense of hearing and sight. While in the Ninja Academy, Naruto would be the only person in class, besides Kiba, who could actually smell what was cooking in the cafeteria, despite his classroom being on the 4th floor and the cafeteria being on the first floor. Naruto's sense of smell was so sharp, in fact, that he was forming a mental picture in his head from thee different scents he was picking up. Within a few minutes, Naruto had formed a mental picture in his head of the battle from smell alone.

'_I see. So the enemy shinobi team that attacked us are two members short now. At least we don't have to worry about that much. But what's this other scent?' _Naruto thought as the strange smell hit his nostrils. It smelled feminine like a womans, but underneath it was the smell of a man and snakes mixed together. Somehow, Naruto was sure that he smelled this scent before not too long ago. After a few minutes of thinking back, Naruto was able to recognized the strange smell. It was the scent of the female Grass ninja that had come up behind him when he had had Anko at knife point. So she was the one that attacked him. Now, she was probably off somewhere fighting his two closest friends. If her teammates had this kind of power, then was no telling what she could do. He would have to find them fast before it was too late.

As Naruto concentrated his chakra, he was able to sense three chakra signatures not to far away from his current location. Immediately, he was able to recognize two of the signatures as Sasuke and Sakura, but the other one he did not.

'_That must be her!' _Naruto decided as he made a couple of shadow clones that sat on the ground Indian style and began to gather the natural energy around them. If he was going to fight an opponent this strong, he was going to need some sage power. After pinpointing the exact location of his teammates, Naruto leaped into the trees and bounded off to the battle site.

'_Sasuke, Sakura, hold on! I'm coming!' _Naruto thought frantically as he shot off through the forest.

* * *

Sasuke let out a cry of pain as Shiore hit him across the back with the whip of snakes around her arms, causing to him to land on a tree branch with hard thud. Shiore had come at him like a vicious animal after he'd escaped from her snake ball prison. So far, Sasuke had managed to doge most of attacks, but she'd chased him down and he was now at her mercy again. No sooner had Sasuke landed when Shiore her snake tentacle around Sasuke's waist and hurled the raven effortlessly through a tree. Sasuke landed on the tree branch on the other side, gasping for breath with pain shooting throughout his entire body.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out in alarm. The pinkette knew she had to do something or else Sasuke would be goner. She reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a food pill. It would only last for 3 minutes, but 3 minutes wouldn't be enough to help her teammate. Even still, it would have to be enough for now. Without a second thought, Sakura put the food pill in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Meanwhile, Sasuke lay on his side, still gasping for air. He'd never gone up against an opponent like this and he was losing, bad. So far, nothing he;d tried had worked and this woman just kept pulling out more and more tricks each time.

'_This woman is impossible! How is she even a Genin at this level?!' _Sasuke thought as he slowly sat up. He'd taken a beating, sure, but he had to keep trying. If not for himself, then for Naruto, wherever the hyperactive blonde was. With determination coursing through his veins, Sasuke stood up, and this time he was prepared when Shiore came charging at him through the large hole in front of him. Timing his moves, Sasuke was able to land a hard kick to Shiore face as she came at him, sending the woman flying through the hole and skidding on the thick branch on the other side. Before she could recover and get back up, Sasuke began to charge at her to deliver the killing blow. As Shiore got back to her feet, she smirked at seeing Sasuke running at her.

'_Coming at me so straight forwardly, what is he thinking? Heh, perhaps the fear of death has scared him into committing suicide. Oh well, perhaps the Rinnegan brat will me give more of a challenge.' _Shiore thought as she braced herself for Sasuke's attack. However, she was thrown off guard when Sasuke stopped and instead formed the Chidori in his hand. Sasuke thrusted the attack toward Shiore, and using the Shape Transformation that Kakashi had taught him, Sasuke formed the Chidori into an electrical spear that stretched towards Shiore and impaled the woman square in the chest, catching her completely by surprise.

'_What kind of jutsu is this? I've never seen the Shape Transformation be used on the Chidori like this before!' _Shiore thought as electricity coursed throughout her body, paralyzing her and causing her to drop to her knees. Forming a one-handed hand seal, Sasuke blew a stream of fire from his mouth that engulfed Shiore in flames upon contact. Believing Shiore to be defeated, Sasuke canceled the Chidori Sharp Spear and smirked at his handiwork.

Knowing that she didn't much time before she was burned to death, Shiore concentrated her chakra within her and opened her mouth as wide as it could go. Suddenly, arms and hands shot out as something began to pull itself out. Sasuke's smirk disappeared in an instant as he watched in absolute horror and disgust as another Shiore, fully clothed, pulled itself out from the original's mouth, like a snake shedding its skin. The old Shiore fell to the forest floor, burning to ashes before hitting the ground. This time, it was Shiore's turn to smirk after seeing Sasuke reaction.

"Don't look so surprised dear boy. I told you before that the prey should never let their guard down when in the presence of a predator." Shiore said as she raised her arm towards said prey. "It could cost you you your life."

A stream of snakes stretched out from Shiore's sleeves, wrapped themselves around Sasuke, and lifted him up in the air, hissing and snapping their jaws in the process. Shiore let out a sinister chuckle as she watched Sasuke struggle to get free.

"This time, my little Uchiha, you die" Shiore said as she opened her mouth, allowing the blade of the Kusanagi Sword to extend out from her throat. In response, the snakes began to pull a struggling Sasuke toward his doom at alarming speed. As Sasuke neared the blade, Sasuke came from out of nowhere and roundhouse kicked Shiore in the side, sending the female Grass ninja slamming into the ground below and releasing Sasuke from the snakes that held him.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" Sakura asked as she knelt by Sasuke and began to heal some of his new open wounds.

Sasuke looked at her with his Sharingan eyes and saw that Sakura's chakra was flaring wildly. Putting two and two together, Sasuke realized that Sakura must have eaten a food pill. However, her flaring chakra was drastically getting smaller and smaller, so her strength would not last for long.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sasuke said as he got to his feet. "Thank you. That could've been the end."

"Don't mention it. Also, I replenished some of my chakra while I watched you guys have it out. So even when this food pill wears off, I'll have enough chakra left over to fight, but only a little." Sakura said as she cracked her neck and knuckles to get her blood flowing. She would have to pull out all the stops with this woman and make every move count.

No sooner had Sasuke and Sakura recovered when there was suddenly a large puff that pooled on the ground below. The white smoke was so thick that the forest floor could not be seen from above and an ominous presence became thick in the air. Suddenly, up from the forest floor, rose a giant snake like the one that had attacked them earlier, and ontop of its head was a fuming Shiore who glared hatefully at her two targets.

"Your going to pay for that you maggots! I'm going to kill both of you nice and slow!" Shiore hollered in rage. "Attack!"

The giant snake hissed as it opened it's mouth as wide as it could. Without warning, it began to fire a sickly green mist from it's mouth that blanketed the part of the tree that Sasuke and Sakura were standing on. Moving quickly, Sasuke and Sakura darted back and landed safely on the forest floor as the snake continued to spew out the green mist. As it did so, the branch that Sasuke and Sakura had been standing, and part of the tree itself, began to dissolve into goo. Instantly, Sakura and Sasuke now recognized the green mist as some kind of acidic poison. Had they stayed where they previously were any longer, they would've been dissolved as well.

"You missed them you fool! After them immediately!" Shiore ordered.

The snake gave a hiss of approval and lunged at the two Leaf Genin without question.

"Brace yourself Sakura" Sasuke said as began to channel lightning chakra into his sword. He didn't have enough chakra to use the "Lightning Style: Death Wave" again, so he would have to rely on his other skills to wear the beast down and then let Sakura deliver the final blow since she had even less chakra than he had.

Sakura gave a nod of approval to Sasuke's words of encouragement and cracked her knuckles for what seemed like the millionth time that day and waited tensely as the snake came closer, adrenaline pumping through her veins in anticipation.

However, both Sasuke and Sakura were thrown completely off guard when a yellow blur shot between them and stopped a few feet in front of them. Even the giant snake stopped as it witnessed the figure suddenly teleport in front of his targets from out of thin air. The new arrival then turned and faced his teammates, allowing them to see his "legendary" eyes and alerting them to who he was.

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura exclaimed with glee, feeling her spirits suddenly lifted high. Naruto was the only person Sakura knew of that had the Rinnegan, and even without it, she could still recognize him anywhere. Anyone could. Having Naruto arrive gave Sakura a new found confidence and her near exhausted state was quickly forgotten about. However, as Sakura looked closer, she noticed that Naruto's eyes were different, besides the Rinnegan being activated.

For one thing, his iris was yellow and his pupils were horizontal bars, like that of a toad. Also, both of his eyes had a reddish-orange pigment mark around them. Sakura found this to be both odd and surprising, but honestly, she was just happy to have Naruto here. In fact, having Naruto here gave Sakura a boost of confidence, allowing her to momentarily forget about her near exhausted state. With Naruto here, they now had a much better chance of winning and Sakura could help but give a warm smile to her blonde haired teammate.

"D-Dobe" Sasuke said in disbelief, unable to look away from Naruto's eyes either. The Rinnegan, he was used to, but the other features he had never seen before.

'_What's going on? Naruto eyes look different from before. And his chakra is.....unbelievable! I can feel the power radiating off of him in huge, intense waves. What kind of power or jutsu is this supposed to be?' _Sasuke wondered. Instantly, that envious feeling began to well up within Sasuke again and the Uchiha unknowingly let out a low growl of frustration.

"Sorry I'm late guys, I got held up." Naruto said as he turned back around to face Shiore and her giant pet snake. As Naruto gave the snake a closer look, he couldn't help but notice that the snake bared a shocking resemblance to the one that had attacked him not too long ago. "I see. So your the one who sent that giant snake after me. I have to admit, you had me thinking I was a goner back there."

Shiore gave Naruto a blank look before allowing a sinister smirk to break through.

"So, Rinnegan Master, you finally decide to join us. I was wondering when you'd show up." Shiore taunted as she crossed her arms over her chest arrogantly "Your friends put up quite a fight, but I believe it is you who will give me the challenge that I seek. After all, if you fail to entertain me, I'll kill your little friends faster than you can bat an eyelash."

In a split second, Naruto's confidence turned to anger fury as he glared at Shiore. He hadn't missed the numerous cut, bruises, and scrapes that his teammates now adorned, and it didn't take a genius ninja to figure out where they had gotten them. This woman and her team had tried to kill his friends and he wasn't about to let that slide.

"You'll pay for what you've done, outsider" Naruto said in a calm, but menacing voice. Venom dripping with each word as he felt a little of Kyuubi's chakra course through his veins. Suddenly, Naruto's facial features began to change. The whisker marks under his face mask grew much more detailed and feral looking and his toad sage eyes now had a vertical slit going through the horizontal bar of his pupils, making a combination of both the Sage Mode's and Kyuubi's eyes.

Despite seeing this change in the appearance of Naruto's eyes, Shiore continued to smirk with twisted glee.

"Oh, you think you can take on little ol' me?" Shiore taunted before letting her rage take over. "Then let's see what you've got, little boy!!!"

Without need of an order, the giant snake charged forward at full speed, it's mouth open wide and ready to swallow Naruto whole in gulp. Naruto calmly closed his eyes while letting out a sigh as he cracked the muscles in his neck as well as cracking his knuckles.

"Alright, let's do this" Naruto said as he went through a number of hand seals with blazing fast speed, his fingers nothing but blurs as they moved.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bombs" Naruto called out before taking a deep breath and exhaling a stream of flames from his mouth. However, thanks to the Sage chakra, the jutsu was different from the way it normally looked and was far stronger. For one thing, the stream of flames that shot out was HUGE, covering a wide area bigger equal to that of the giant snake. Lastly, the flames themselves were so hot that they were white instead of red or orange! As they shot towards the snake, the flames formed themselves into a dragon, as the name suggested, causing Shiore to instantly become alarmed.

"This.....is not good." Shiore said as she jumped off the snake and used the Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu to Tunnel underground to safety. No sooner had she tunneled underground when the snake and the flame dragon collided, creating a massive, and brilliant, explosion. Instantly, the snake was vaporized into ashes as well as some of the surrounding forest. Sasuke and Sakura were nearly blown away by the gust of wind from the explosion, but managed to hold their ground. Naruto stood their calmly, unmoved by the strong gust as though it were not there.

"Naruto's strength.....it's unbelievable!" Sakura exclaimed as she used her arm to try and shield herself from the wind.

Sasuke was speechless. The only word that describe what he felt at that moment was "disbelief". That attack was stronger than practically almost every fire jutsu he had, let alone the Blaze Ball jutsu. But the thing was: none of it made sense! Naruto shows up from out of nowhere and already radiating with power, then he got angry and became even stronger. How? How was it that Naruto could get so strong without even having to try? That envious feeling within Sasuke began to grow stronger as he watched the dust begin to settle, leaving behind a giant, ugly, black scorch mark.

"Hey, Sasuke, Sakura" Naruto said without turning around, getting the attention of his teammates "you guys have done enough. Thanks for holding her off for this long, but I can take it from here. You guys should rest and replenish your chakra, you've earned it."

"No, Naruto-kun, you need our help. That woman is really strong, even both me and Sasuke couldn't take her down." Sakura protested "It's as though she's on a whole nother level!"

Naruto turned around and gave both her and Sasuke a warm smile.

"Don't worry, I trained for this sort of thing. You and Sasuke can rest now. Just leave this to me, okay." Naruto said, flashing a thumbs up.

Sakura was about to say more, but Sasuke stopped her.

"Naru-chan, be careful." Sasuke said as he lifted Sakura into his arms and leaped up into one of the trees in the surrounding area, safely out of the way.

Naruto then turned back around, just in time to see Shiore reemerge from the ground, unharmed. This time, instead of a smirk, she looked a Naruto in amazement.

'_This boy is.....something else entirely. Not only did he destroy my serpent with almost no effort, but he even knows how to enter Sage Mode. My word, is there anything this boy doesn't know how to do? I'm gonna have to actually try with this one.' _Shiore said as she began to dust herself off.

Across from her, Naruto stood with his arms across his chest. His eyes were no longer a combination of Sage Mode and the Kyuubi's eyes, but instead just the eyes of a toad as they were before. The Rinnegan was prominently displayed and Naruto stood calmly as he waited for her to make her next move. After what she had put his friends through, he wasn't going to let this snake slither out of his grasp.

Seeing that Naruto was waiting for her to begin, Shiore nodded and went through a number of hand seals before lowering herself to the ground. Opening her mouth with a loud wretch, Shiore summoned a horde of snakes that poured out her mouth without end, creating a huge mass of millions of slithering, writhing snakes that charged toward Naruto while hissing and baring their fangs. As though that were not bad enough, the blade of a sword erupted from their open mouths as they charged forward, ready to impale Naruto a thousand times over.

However, Naruto only smirked under his face mask as he readied his next jutsu. This was going to be fun, he could already tell.

**Alright, I hope you guys enjoyed yet another action filled chapter and please remember to review and tell me what you think. Like I said in the introduction, the Chunin Exam Saga focuses mainly on the action and will contain very little yaoi scenes, but it will play in later on in the story. So bare with me until then, that's all I ask of you. Later on, you'll see what I mean. In the next chapter, the battle between Naruto and Shiore officially begins and Shiore reveals her true identity. Stay tuned for the next chapter to see what happens next. And thank you all for your reviews so far. I wouldn't have made it this far without you guys.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, Itachi would be the main character of the actual anime. **

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 27**

Naruto stood calmly as the army of snakes rushed him with a sword blade protruding from each of their mouths. Any normal person would've ran for their lives at such a sight, but Naruto simply went through all of his options before he finally decided on one, which only took a few minutes thanks to his gifted intelligence. As he got ready to go both the offensive and defensive, he couldn't help but smirk underneath his face mask from excitement. He could already tell that this woman would give him the fight of a lifetime and he was going to enjoy every moment of it. Not to mention the fact that he wanted to make the bitch pay for trying to kill his friends. As the snakes came closer, Naruto decided that now was a time to move.

Naruto focused and concentrated his chakra as he expanded it around him, forming a large translucent shield that surrounded him as the blonde ninja charged forward, all while going through a number of hand seals as well.

"Earth Style: Earth Spear" Naruto said as chakra flowed throughout all parts of his body, causing his skin to turn an almost black color as it hardened to a quality that was harder than steel.

The snakes that came into contact with the chakra shield were harmlessly absorbed as Naruto charged forward. The sword blades that passed through the chakra shield broke into pieces as they came into contact with Naruto's harder-than-steel body. Shiore watched in absolute surprised as her millions of snakes were absorbed as Naruto came closer and closer.

'_That boy is absorbing the jutsu as he goes along. Hmmm, this must be another Rinnegan ability. If I get caught in that shield, all of my chakra will be absorbed as well.' _Shiore thought as the last if her snakes was absorbed. Naruto deactivated the chakra shield and extended his right arm out to the side, allowing a chakra disruption blade to protrude from his open palm like like a lance with a needle sharp end.

Shiore acted fast and launched 10 kunai, 5 from each hand, at Naruto as the blonde came closer. However, Naruto used the Rinnegan's gravity technique, Shinra Tensei, to harmlessly repel all of the kunai away from him, once again catching Shiore off guard. Acting quickly again, Shiore did a front flip over Naruto's head as the blonde thrusted the disruption blade forward. Landing behind Naruto, Shiore quickly went through a number of hand seals.

"Earth Style: Mud Wall" Shiore said as a wall of mud rose up in front of Naruto and solidified into a solid structure, catching Naruto off guard. Seeing that Naruto was momentarily thrown off balance, Shiore took the opportunity to pull her Kusanagi blade out from within her mouth and prepared to lunged forward in an attempt to impale Naruto through the neck. However, Naruto got over his shock faster than Shiore had expected and he plunged his chakra disruption blade deep into Shiore's left shoulder as he turned around, causing the snake woman to wince in pain. Using her frustration to give her strength, Shiore pushed forward and prepared to stab Naruto in the neck as planned, when suddenly, a weird sensation came over her.

Shiore seemed to move in slow motion as she began to lose control of her body and some unknown force began to take over her mind. Suddenly, the Rinnegan appeared in Shiore's mind as last bits of consciousness left her. However, Naruto had to cancel the technique for Shiore's Kusanagi Blade was coming to close and if he continued to stand there, he would be impaled. Since Shiore was still moving in slow motion, Naruto had just enough time to move his head to the side as Shiore regained control of her body and continued to lunge forward, plunging her sword into the mud stone wall behind Naruto instead of into his neck.

"What was that just now? It felt as though you were trying to take over my body" Shiore said as she glared into Naruto's Rinnegan eyes. '_Seriously, what was that just now?'_

_"_It's a jutsu that could end this fight here and now. Surrender and maybe I'll let you go." Naruto offered with a hidden smirk. This, in turn, earned him another smirk from Shiore.

"Foolish little boy, what do you take me for? As if I'd actually surrender to you" Shiore shot back nastily as she pulled away before Naruto use that weird jutsu again.

Wasting no time, Shiore lunged forward again in another attempt to stab Naruto in a vital area. However, Naruto was step ahead. Focusing his chakra, Naruto unleashed his energy in the form of a mighty push.

"Shinra Tensei" Naruto said as he used the force of gravity release a gravitational shockwave, with his body as the epicenter. The mud wall was shattered to pieces by the force and Shiore was sent skidding across the dirt to she forcefully hit a tree, causing it topple over and fall to the ground with a loud crash.

'_What kind of jutsu was that? It felt different from a normal shockwave....Everything around him was blasted away, with him as the epicenter. How very interesting this body is, not to mention his ability to multi-task. Using an Earth Style jutsu to harden his body all while maintaining that chakra shield to absorb my own jutsu, simply fascinating. ' _Shiore thought as she picked herself up from the ground, watching Naruto's skin go back to it's normal color and the chakra disruption blade recede back into his palm.

'_This doesn't look good, in the very least. Since he can harden his body, all physical attacks are useless. Not only that, he can use that strange jutsu to control gravity and repel any attack I throw at him. There has to be someway around his defense.' _Shiore thought to herself. However, Shiore was brought out of her thoughts when she noticed Naruto begin walk forward before breaking into a running charge.

Not one to back down, Shiore charged forward as well, throwing handful after handful of kunai as she went along. Naruto pulled a chakra disruption blade from his palm, wielding it like a sword, and effortlessly deflected the kunai away from him without stopping his charge forward. As the two warriors reached each other, a loud clang rang through the air as Shiore's Kusanagi sword clashed with Naruto's chakra disruption blade. The two then fiercely exchanged blows, trying to best the other, but neither one getting the upper hand. Throughout the fight, Naruto matched Shiore's attacks and rivaled them with moves of his own.

'_I'll admit, this kid has some moves. He's better at sword fighting than even Sasuke. In fact, this brat may even be stronger than the Uchiha' _Shiore thought as her Kusanagi and Naruto's chakra disruption blade crossed, forming an X. The two combatants pushed against the other, trying to overpower each other, but again, none succeeding. This continued for a few more minutes until Naruto rushed forward with a burst of strength, jumped forward, and slammed his knee into Shiore's cheek. The combined force of the blow and Naruto's momentum and weight cratered the snake woman into the ground with a thunderous crash. Naruto smirked under his face mask as he focused chakra into his foot and kicked Shiore away with overwhelming strength, sending the female Grass ninja skidding across the dirt and colliding with a boulder, smashing the giant rock to pieces.

Not wanting to give Shiore time to recover, Naruto jumped into the air with the chakra disruption blade raised high above his head as he came barreling back down. However, Shiore managed to crawl out of the rubble and move out of the way as Naruto crashed back down to Earth, swinging the chakra disruption blade down as he descended. The force of the impact destroyed the smashed apart boulder and now all that was left was a crater that Naruto now stood in the middle of.

"That was too close. If I had been a second later, I would've been mashed to pieces! This rookie is far to dangerous to take lightly." Shiore said as she stood up and summoned her Kusanagi to her hand.

Shiore then went through a number of hand seals and managed to create 5 Earth clones as Naruto walked up from out of the crater. As Naruto emerged the Shiore Earth Clones, and Shiore herself, charged forward, not wanting to give Naruto a chance to launch his next attack. However, Naruto used Shinra Tensei to repel Shiore and her clones back to a safer distance. Not wasting time, Naruto bit his thumb and went through a number of hand seals.

"Summon Jutsu" Naruto said as he slammed his palm on the ground, unleashing a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, there stood an orange toad covered in samurai armor with a sword on his back.

"Good to see you again Naruto." the toad said as he noticed Naruto's presence.

"It's been a long time....Gama-san" Naruto replied cheerfully.

Gama was one of the toads Naruto met while he was training with Jiraiya at Myobokuzan as well as the first toad Naruto came into contact with when he'd first met Jiraiya. The two were old friends and Gama had instructed Naruto to feel free to summon at anytime when he needed him and that time was now. Gama had even promised Jiraiya himself that he would act as Naruto's guardian and protect the boy with his life, a promise that Gama intended to keep.

"So Naruto, what are we up against." Gama asked as he saw Shiore and her clones begin to recover from Naruto's Shinra Tensei attack.

"A snake woman with a really bad temper." Naruto said as he pulled another chakra disruption blade from his palm.

"You don't say?" Gama said as a Shiore and her clones gave a cry of frustration and charged forward with kunai drawn.

Gama sighed as he pulled his sword from his sheath, and together with Naruto, charged forward at the enemy. Together, Naruto and Gama acted with perfect teamwork and manged to dodge and block the attacks of Shiore and her clones. Not a single move was wasted as they went on the offensive as well, striking whenever they could get the chance and making the best of it. Whatever attacks Shiore and her clones did, Naruto and Gama would come back twice as hard. During the fight, Naruto's flak jacket was cut away, leaving him in his navy blue Leaf Village body suit, which his face mask was attached to. Naruto paid it no mind and continued to fight alongside Gama. However, both teammates knew that this stalemate would have to end and soon.

"Gama, we're doing good so far, but we can't keep this up forever." Naruto said as he and Gama moved back from a combo of attacks by Shiore and her Earth clones.

"I realize that. Do you have any good ideas?" Gama said as he got ready for the next wave of attacks.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Just keep them busy for a few seconds and I'll take out two of them with one hit." Naruto said confidently.

"Alright, this I have to see. You need some time, you've got it." Gama said as he dove head first into combat against Shiore and her clones.

However, Gama could hold his own against a powerful opponent like Shiore, but for so long, as it wasn't long when Shiore and her clones began to get the upper hand. More of their attacks hit and Gama began to become tired from having to work even harder than what he had before. He was now bleeding from numerous cuts on his body and he was close to his end.

"Naruto, hurry up!" Gama yelled as two Shiore clones moved in to deliver the killing blows.

However, before they could reach Gama, Naruto rushed forward in the blink of an eye with a Rasengan fully formed in each hand.

"Rasengan Barrage!" Naruto exclaimed as he thrusted the two Rasengan into the stomachs of the Shiore clones, the sage chakra giving the attack more power. The Shiore clones were sent flying back with incredible speed before they dissolved back into mud as they collided with the thick trees.

'_Sage Mode is about to wear off. I need to finish this up quick. Luckily, I still have time for one more attack. Or rather, three more' _Naruto thought to himself as he made two Shadow Clones before going through a number of hand seals.

"Gama, thanks for all of your help. You've earned a rest." Naruto said before preforming his jutsu.

"Glad I could be of service, Master Naruto." Gama said as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Earth Style: Great Mud River" Naruto said as the ground beneath Shiore and the rest of her surprised clones became soft mud, causing them to lose their balance and slip and fall in the soft Earth.

Naruto then put his hands on the ground as he poured his chakra into the mud, causing it to become thicker and stickier than syrup, firmly pinning Shiore and her clones to the spot and disabling them from escaping. After forming a wide triangle around the enemy, Naruto and his clones then jumped up into the air and they each began to go through a number of hand seals with blazing fast speed.

"Wind Style: Typhoon"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu"

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu"

Naruto and his clones called out their attacks as they executed them in perfect unison. All Shiore and her clones could watch helplessly as they doom came racing toward them from three different directions.

"Un-fucking-believable" Shiore muttered.

No sooner had Shiore uttered her last words when the attacks hit simultaneously, combining together and forming a twister made of wind, water, and fire all at the same time, resulting in a brilliant explosion which could be seen from just outside of the Forest of Death. Needless to say, Shiore and and her Earth clones were completely vaporized in the explosion.

Naruto dispersed his clones and dropped to one knee in exhaustion once his Sage Mode had finally worn off, the reddish orange pigments around his Rinnegan eyes disappearing, and in the nick of time too. Naruto breathed heavily with one eye closed as he managed to let out a chuckle.

"I finally did it. It took me some work, but I finally put the bitch down. Yay." Naruto said as he regained his breath, his body covered from head to toe in sweat.

* * *

Meanwhile, the trees surrounding the clearing, Sasuke and Sakura had seen the entire fight and to say they were speechless would've been an understatement. They were stunned beyond what words could describe after seeing Naruto go toe to toe with an enemy they had thought to be unbeatable and emerge victorious. Never before had they seen a spectacular battle such as that and the ending combination of jutsu that Naruto had used was unlike anything they had ever seen before. It almost seemed as though they were watching a stranger. That couldn't have been the Naruto they knew, doing all of those moves and ground breaking jutsu when he was the dead last of their class and could barely perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu while at the academy. But it was their Naruto, which made it more unbelievable.

'_Naruto...he....just keeps getting stronger and stronger each day. In fact, he might even rival Kakashi-sensei. I've never seen someone use more than one jutsu at a time like that and have such perfect chakra control at the same time. It's just incredible how far Naruto has come.' _Sakura thought as watched Naruto walk towards them.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was just as speechless as Sakura, and even though he'd seen it with his own two eyes, he still couldn't believe it. Sasuke was left in absolute as he'd watched Naruto finish Shiore with his combination of 3 techniques at once. He executed the different jutsu so flawlessly, you'd think he'd practiced them his entire life. He'd just watched his Naru-chan take down someone that Sasuke himself had barely been able to hit.

'_Naruto....I don't believe it. When he fights, it's almost like he's a different person. How was he able to execute and maintain three Jonin level jutsu like that? Even Kakashi has trouble doing that sort of thing, yet Naruto did it perfectly without even passing out from exhaustion. In fact, Naruto might even be stronger than Kakashi for that matter. And those pigments around Naruto's eyes....what kind of jutsu was that? I doesn't make any sense. That dobe even knows the Summoning Jutsu? How? Where is Naruto getting all of this power from? _Sasuke thought in frustration, that envious feeling returning again.

He knew that he should be happy that Naruto was as strong as he was and that he had beaten Shiore, but Sasuke could help the feeling jealousy that he felt. No matter how hard he trained, Naruto just always seemed to be a few levels ahead of him in strength. With difficulty, Sasuke was able to push the his jealous thoughts and feelings aside and instead focused on the fact that his Naru-chan was still alive. After calming down Sasuke followed Sakura as they jumped down from the trees and rushed forward to congratulate their blonde haired comrade.

"Naruto, I'm so glad you're alright! You were amazing out there! I've never seen anything like that before in my life! You've got to teach me some of those moves of yours!" Sakura exclaimed as she captured Naruto in a tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out him.

"Sakura-chan....I can't....breathe" Naruto managed to choke out.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just happy you're okay. But you sure gave that freaky snake woman a run for her money, kick ass Naruto-kun!" Sakura congratulated pumping her fist in the air and giving Naruto a pat on the back.

"Thanks Sakura-chan. Honestly though, I didn't think I'd do so good against her. I mean, she really was something else entirely!" Naruto admitted while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

However, his sheepishness disappeared Naruto saw Sasuke walk up and the blonde instantly threw his arms around the Uchiha, pulling the dark haired boy into a tight hug. Naruto had thought of Sasuke for nearly the entire fight and had wanted nothing more than to just hold Sasuke in arms, and now he was getting the chance. And it wasn't long before Sasuke returned the hug and wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist.

"Sasu-chan, I missed you." Naruto said within Sasuke's chest.

"I missed you too, Naruto. You were great out there." Sasuke said as pulled Naruto back and held the blonde by the shoulders and smiled warmly at him. "I'm proud of you."

Sasuke then pulled down Naruto's face mask and passionately kissed Naruto, the blonde eagerly returning the kiss. If they could, the two lovers would've just stayed there and made out until the end of time. However, the need for air became too great and they were forced to pullback from each other in order to breathe. As the two lovers caught their breathe, they both finally realized one very important thing: they had an audience.

Sakura watched the entire kiss and was blushing like mad. The pink haired ninja's entire mind had gone blank and all she could was watch with her mouth gaping open as her two teammates shared perhaps the most hottest kiss she'd ever seen in her life. In all honesty, it kind of turned her on a little as Sakura noticed a slight wetness grow between her legs. When Naruto and Sasuke both finally realized that Sakura had seen their entire kissing episode, they both blushed and fully pulled away from each other,

"Uh.....sorry about that, Sakura-chan" Naruto apologized, blushing redder than a tomato and pulling his face mask back up to hide it. "We sort of forgot you were still standing there."

It took a Sakura a moment to get over her excitement and realize that Naruto was speaking to her. She also realized that she had actually started to drool a little bit and quickly wiped it away hurriedly in embarrassment.

"Its.....okay. I mean you guys are a couple and that what couples do, right?" Sakura said nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. However, she noticed that both Naruto and Sasuke were giving her quizzical looks, which caused to her blush some more. "Uhhh....right. So, Naruto-kun, did you get the scroll we need from that Grass ninja?"

Naruto gave her a confused look, causing Sakura to let an exasperated sigh.

"That Grass ninja had an "Earth" that she had swallowed when she and her team challenged me and Sasuke." Sakura informed her blonde haired teammate. "Did you get it from her?"

After taking a moment to let Sakura's information sink in, Naruto promptly slapped his palm against his face.

"No, I didn't get it. In fact, I forgot that we still needed an "Earth" scroll completely." Naruto admitted in shame. "More than likely, it was still on her, or in her, when she was vaporized. Normally, I'd be surprised by the fact that she ate the scroll, but with that woman, I wouldn't put it past her."

Sasuke and Sakura both gave exasperated groans.

"Great, all of that and we still didn't get the scroll." Sasuke said sarcastically as he pulled his shirt back on, which he hadn't bothered to do when he'd beaten the other two Grass shinobi.

"Sorry guys. I was so wrapped in saving you guys in time that I forgot about our main goal." Naruto apologized.

"Don'y worry about it Naruto-kun. We'll come across another team with an "Earth" scroll and challenge them for it. It's really no big deal." Sakura said as she comforted Naruto. The blonde had just saved and really had nothing to be sorry about. In fact, both Sasuke and Sakura owed him big time.

As Squad 7, reunited at last, began to walk out of the clearing in search of another "Earth" scroll. Naruto sensed an ominous chakra signature moving toward them from underground. Naruto stopped dead in his tracks and his Rinnegan eyes widened in shock when he recognized who it was.

"No......it can't be. How did she.....?" Naruto stuttered out as his words caught in his throat.

"Naru-chan, what is it?" Sasuke asked as he and Sakura turned to look back his boyfriend, who'd stopped abruptly and now looked as though he'd seen a ghost. "Is everything---"

Sasuke cut himself off in mid sentence as both he and Sakura felt the same ominous chakra signature moving toward them at alarming speed. And it didn't take long for them to realize who it was.

Naruto turned around in surprise as Shiore burst from the ground, slamming her fist into the blonde's face as she emerged. Naruto skidded across the dirt a few feet and just layed there in shock as he looked at Shiore.

'_How....how is she still alive? I was sure she'd gotten vaporized by my attack. Not only that.....there's not a scratch on her. Who or what IS she?' _Naruto thought to himself, taking in Shiore's undisturbed appearance. She was clean from head to toe and there no wounds or signs of damage anywhere. It was as though she and Naruto hadn't just had an epic battle only a few minutes ago.

Sasuke and Sakura rushed to Naruto's side and helped the shocked blonde to his feet. They heard chuckling coming from Shiore's direction and they glared at the female Grass ninja as she sneered at them.

"Don't be so surprised. After all, you didn't think I'd be killed that easily, did you?" Shiore said before licking her lips with her abnormally long snake-like tongue. "Didn't I already tell you? I'm the strongest member of my team for a reason. Killing me isn't going to be a walk in the park my dear children."

Naruto made the "Ram" hand seal and dispersed the other clone he had positioned at the former clearing where he had been separated from his team, going into Sage Mode once again. His pupils became like that of a toads and reddish-orange pigments appeared around his Rinnegan eyes.

"Before we finish this, tell me how you managed to survive. Not even the strongest of shinobi can escape from mud infused with with me chakra." Naruto said as he clenched his fists in frustration. Why wouldn't this woman just die already.....or at least leave them the fuck alone?

"Simple, I regurgitated another body just before you attack hit. Luckily, I managed to get just outside the blast radius in time." Shiore explained.

"What do you mean you regurgitated another body?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"It's called Ninja Art: Body Shedding, a jutsu of my own creation. It allows me to regurgitate a new body, complete with new clothes, from within my original body. Whenever I sustain massive injury or I'm in a predicament from which there is no escape, I can regurgitate a new body that is healed of all wounds or lost limbs. It's basically based off of the way a snake sheds it's skin. It's quite useful, I must say." Shiore explained in a calm, but arrogant tone.

'_So that was the technique she used when escaped my Dragon Flame Bombs when she fought against me! This really woman really is the strongest of team. Hell, she's probably the strongest Genin of Kusagakure.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he gritted his teeth in frustration and reactivated his Sharingan. All of these shinobi were so much stronger than him, and their abilities just got stranger and even more unique. He could hold his own, sure, but he still wasn't the best of the best like he wanted to be.....like Naruto and this woman were. In all honesty, this just wasn't neither his nor Sakura's fight. This woman, whoever or whatever she may be, was simply too strong. They could stay and help Naruto as best they could, but really, they'd only be getting in his way, a fact that annoyed Sasuke to no end. Fortunately, he had someone to take his anger out on.

Without another word, Shiore pulled out a kunai and charged at Squad 7 with a snake-like hiss.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the Forest of Death and near the Monument Stone, where all the names of Konoha's greatest heroes were engraved, a trio of Chunin inspected three bodies near a Buddhist statue. The statue was covered in splatters of the victims' blood, ruining the appearance of the originally chalk-white statuette. The bodies had been discovered a few hours after the second part of the Chunin Exams started and a group consisting of three of the best Chunin that the Leaf Village had to offer had been called in to investigate the scene.

"There are three corpses" a Leaf Chunin pointed out.

Another Chunin, Izumo Kamizuki, who had disguised himself as one of the teenage boys from before the start of the Chunin Exams, studied the bodies carefully and gave a puzzled look.

"This is some kind of Ninjutsu, isn't it?" Izumo asked.

The other Chunin was about to answer, but he was cut off when the leader of the group, Kotetsu Hagane, who had disguised himself as the other teenage boy, spoke up in a grave voice.

"Guys....this is bad." Kotetsu managed to choke out. "We have a problem, from the get go, and I'll be damned."

The other two Chunin gave looks of confusion and gulped as an grave presence overcame them.

Inform Anko, the proctor of the second test, and tell her to come here" Kotetsu ordered.

"Yes sir" the other Chunin, who wore sunglasses, said as he gave a salute and disappeared in a puff of smoke to Anko's location.

* * *

Anko Mitarashi was currently sitting on the roof of the booth where the candidates had gotten their scrolls and was happily indulging in her favorite past time: eating sweet dumplings and drinking one of her favorite drinks. The purple-woman couldn't help but hum happily to herself as she chewed.

"If you're going to have dumplings, you've got to have sweet red bean soup." Anko said before taking a sip of her drink, identified as a type of soup you can drink from a can. "Okay, once I finish this, I should go break through and go wait at the tower for the kids." Anko then ate the last two dumplings left on the stick and gave a happy sigh.

"With this program, the quick kids should clear it soon." Anko said as she threw her dumpling stick into the tree beside of her with perfect accuracy, completing the picture on the tree she was making of the Leaf Village Symbol on. The model was made out of the used dumpling sticks that Anko had eaten off of.

"The Leaf Village mark, perfect!" Anko exclaimed as she drained the last of her drink.

Anko's happy hour was interrupted, however, by the arrival of the Chunin who wore sunglasses.

"We have a problem, Ms. Anko!" he said frantically.

Anko, however, paid no mind to his frantic tone.

"Huh? What, so suddenly?" Anko asked casually.

"Corpses! There are three of them by the Buddhist statuette that is over by the Monument Stone!" the unnamed Chunin revealed.

Anko gave him a puzzled look and raised one eyebrow.

"More over, their cause of of death is.....disturbing to say the least. Anyway, please come quick!" the Chunin continued, wondering why Anko wasn't taking this seriously.

Anko pondered this for a moment and brought her index finger to her chin.

"Disturbing, you say? (sighs) Alright, I'll take a look." Anko decided as she jumped down.

* * *

A few minutes later, Anko arrived at the investigation scene and her eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw. The purple haired woman had seen some really gruesome deaths in her lifetime, but this was by far, one of the most gruesome and most disturbing death scenes she'd every seen.

'_This is.....' _Anko's thoughts trailed off as she momentarily diverted her eyes from the disturbing scene.

"I checked their possessions and and identification. Their shinobi from the Hidden Grass Village that registered for the Chunin Exams, but....well....it pretty much speaks for itself." Kotetsu said in a grave tone with his arms crossed, now standing beside Anko.

"Their faces.....are gone." Anko said, filling in the blanks. The bodies they were looking at had no faces whatsoever. It was as though someone had taken a sander and rubbed their faces clean off.

Anko clenched her fists at the site of the atrocity.

'_What kind of sick bastard would done this?' _Anko thought with disgust. There really were some sick people in this world, that much was for damn sure.

"Yes. The spot where the faces should be are smooth and flat, like they melted away or something." Kotetsu thought with a nauseous expression. The site was enough to make even the most cold hearted of shinobi sick to the stomach.

Anko clenched her fist as she took in the site in front of her. Somehow, this looked familiar in way and Anko was sure that she'd scene this before. After thinking about it for a bit more, Anko's eyes snapped open in realization when she saw the belt that one of the victims was wearing. It was a thick purple rope that was commonly worn by shinobi that were from the Land of Sound. At seeing that belt, Anko knew instantly what this was and who may be responsible.

It was a type of forbidden jutsu called "Vanishing Facial Copy" that was used for surveillance before being outlawed. In order to use the technique, the user applies their hand onto the subject's face, stealing its features and making it their own. Since what is stolen is the face itself, the disguise achieved through facial features alteration won't reveal the tiniest flaw. The victims of this technique are reduced to faceless corpses atrocious even to look at. The user can then change their voice to be like that of the victim's, making a very convincing copy.

Anko had seen this technique be used before by a certain man that she had spent her entire life trying to forget about. Subconsciously, Anko's hand traveled to the curse mark on the back of her neck and rubbed the spot nervously.

'_Without a doubt.....This jutsu is....**that **man's!' _Anko decided for sure. There was no mistaking it now. '_Why is **he **at this test?'_

As Anko went through different reasons as of why **that **man was here, she took another closer look at the bodies. They were definitely familiar and she was sure she had seen them just moments ago. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.

'_This is....' _Anko's thoughts trailed off as she question herself. She could be wrong, but there was only one way to find out.

"Show me the ID photos of these three Kusagakure shinobi. It should be on their applications." Anko ordered in a slightly frantic tone.

"Yes ma'am" the sun glasses wear Chunin said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the victims' applications that Kotetsu had given him to take to the autopsy room.

Anko took the applications from the Chunin and barely managed to hold in a gasp as she instantly recognized the victims in the photos.

They were pictures of Shiore and her team. With these photos, all of Anko's fears and suspicions were confirmed. As Anko looked at the pictures on the applications, she began to put two & two together, Obviously, the Team Shiore that was now currently taking the exams was** NOT **the original Team Shiore. **That **man had managed to sneak in and he had been right under her nose.

_'So these are the one's who had their faces robbed. But when could he have.....?' _Anko stopped in mid thought as she remembered how long and snake-like Shiore's tongue had been. This now explained it. '_I see. It must've been right before we gathered outside of the gates. Shiore and her teammates were one of the last ones to arrive, so he must have done it right before the original Team Shiore could catch up.'_

"Everyone, we're in big trouble!" Anko announced as she turned around to face the trio of Chunin. All she got was a bunch of blank stares as a response.

"Huh?" the unnamed Chunin asked.

"Communicate this to Lord Hokage right away! Tell him to make a call for the Anbu Black Ops to assemble more than two squads to the Forest of Death!" Anko said as she turned towards the Forest of Death itself. "Starting now, I'm going to track these guys down before they cause any harm, if they haven't already. You have your orders, now go!"

"Yes ma'am!" the Chunin trio said in unison and bounded off to the Hokage tower.

Anko subconsciously rubbed the spot of her Curse Mark and glared at the Forest of Death.

'_That man....he's in there somewhere. Why as **that **man returned to Konoha? Only one way to find out.' _Anko said as she continued to glare at the Forest itself, remembering all of the horrors **that** man had put her and so many others through.

* * *

Shiore jumped into the air and extended a stream of snakes from underneath her wrists, and using them as a whip, slung them down with the intent to flatten Naruto like a pancake. Before the attack hit, Naruto made a series of hand seals in only a couple of seconds and felt the familiar tingling sensation as his body hardened and his skin took on an almost black color. Fortunately, the jutsu managed to take effect just before the snake whip hit with tremendous force, cratering Naruto into the ground with a thunderous crash.

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura cried in alarm as she saw the attack connect with Naruto.

However, Shiore dropped down in front of the pink haired kunoichi before she rush to friends aid and she began to slash at Sakura with a kunai, chuckling madly. Luckily, Sakura was able to dodge the attacks thanks to her quick reflexes and pulled out a kunai of own. That was when Sasuke joined the fight with her sword and Shiore was now fighting off by Leaf shinobi at once. Despite it being 2 against one, Shiore easily obtained the upperhand and she was able to effortlessly block all of the attacks thrown at her as well send out attacks of her own, sending Sasuke and Sakura back with the momentum. Throughout the one-sided battle, Shiore left no openings that neither Sasuke nor Sakura could exploit and the two found themselves tiring out from having to keep Shiore on the defensive.

Shiore chuckled as she dodge a fast combo of Sasuke's attacks and lashed out, her kunai blade catching Sasuke on the arm and sending pain shooting throughout the limb. Sasuke faltered for a split second, but that split second was all Shiore needed. She sent of combo of kicks punches and slashes, each attack hitting their mark, and she then finished it off with a hard kick to Sasuke's gut, sending the Uchiha flying back and dropping his sword as he skidded across the ground. Wasting no time, Shiore then smoothly turned around and rounded in on Sakura.

However, Sakura threw her kunai away and focused chakra into her fist. With a cry of frustration, Sakura slammed her fist into the ground, unleashing her chakra into the earth and cracking the ground in front of her apart, the shockwave ended up sending a surprised Shiore into the air upside down.

Seeing this as his chance for retribution, Sasuke quickly got to his feet and ran forward before jumping into the air towards Shiore. Upon reaching her position, Sasuke grabbed Shiore by her ankles, wrapped his legs around her waist.

"Peregrine Falcon Drop!" Sasuke yelled as he drove the bitch head first into the ground as hard as he possibly could, hoping that it was enough to kill once and for all as would've any normal person.

Sasuke let go of Shiore's body and stepped back to admire his work. Shiore had been driven head first into the ground so hard, that her head was underground and her body remained limp as it stuck up from the ground like a ripe vegetable. Sasuke smirked as retrieved his sword and went over to Sakura to make sure she was alright.

"Alright, now let's check on Naruto and get the hell out of here. I don't like being around her even when she's incapacitated, or dead for that matter." Sasuke said after make sure that Sakura didn't have any serious injuries.

Sakura nodded and began to follow Sasuke to the crater where their blonde haired teammate was supposed to be. However, they were caught completely be surprise when Shiore's head burst from the ground a few feet in front them, supported only be her neck which was now extended to abnormal length. Sasuke looked over and saw that Shiore's body was still where it had been he's driven into the ground.

'_Impossible! How can this woman extend her neck underground like it? Why won't she die?' _Sasuke thought in frustration.

"Don't look so surprised. By now, you should learn to expect anything!" Shiore said sinisterly as she opened her mouth, allowing her Kusanagi sword blade to poke through. The snake woman extended it to an abnormal length and began to swing it back and forth and every which-way, forcing Sasuke forcing Sasuke and Sakura to dodge or else risk having their limbs cut off or be seriously injured.

Shiore pulled the blade back into her mouth, only to for it to shoot back out again like a speeding bullet, not giving Sakura or Sasuke enough time to react. The blade shot forward and pierced Sakura through the shoulder. The pink haired kunoichi gave a cry of pain as the blade's momentum forced her back and pinned her to a tree behind her.

"Damn it, let her go!" Sasuke said in anger as he forward, and slammed his fist into Shiore's face, forcing her head back enough so that the blade came out of Sakura's bleeding shoulder. Fighting through the pain, Sakura raised her hand to her injured shoulder and began to heal it with her chakra. Feeling the wound begin to close up, Sakura looked up in time to see Shiore pulling the blade back into her mouth. Shiore's body was then pulled underground and through the tunnel Shiore had made with her extendable neck and emerged from the hole in the ground from Shiore's neck extended from. Now that her body was back, Shiore's neck returned to it's original length and she chuckled as she glared at Sasuke.

"You really should not have done that, my dear Uchiha." Shiore said as she pulled her Kusanagi sword from her mouth and charged at Sasuke. In defense, Sasuke pulled his own sword out and got in a defensive position, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he got ready for Shiore's next attack.

Shiore never reached Sasuke, however, for Naruto appeared from out nowhere and landed a karate kick straight to Shiore's gut as the snake woman ran forward, her momentum keeping her from stopping in time. Shiore was sent flying back and into a tree with enough force to kill a normal person, sending the large tree toppling over. This caused a domino effect as the big tree brought more trees down it with thunderous crash after crash. Naruto calmly stood there with his fists clenched, glaring at where he knew Shiore was. Normally, Naruto was a nice guy and never liked to use deadly force, but this woman had officially worn out his patience and he had no other choice. She had almost killed injured Sakura and he'd be damned if he let her kill his boyfriend. He was ready to end this and he would end it now. He was done giving her chances to find someone else to terrorize. Now, he had to kill her.

"Sasuke, go take care of Sakura-chan. I'll deal with her." Naruto said as he cracked his knuckles and faced Shiore. "This fight has gone on long enough."

Sasuke could feel the intent to kill coming off the blonde and Sasuke nodded as he resheathed his sword. He decided not to argue as this was a situation that only Naruto was best suited to handle and he wanted to end this fight as well. As Sasuke began to walk toward Sakura, he couldn't help but notice how different Naruto seemed. Sasuke was used to seeing the goofy and cheerful side of Naruto. To see this serious side that Naruto had always hidden was still a shocker to the raven. In a way, the blonde could almost seemed like a stranger sometimes. When the moment called for it, Naruto could kill off his personal emotions and become a cold-hearted killer to those who threatened him and his friends, something that came as a result of his lonely childhood. The cold aura that Naruto gave off was proof of that, and honestly, it kind of scared Sasuke a little and he really didn't want to piss Naruto off right now so he obeyed without arguing like he normally would. Sasuke gave his boyfriend one last look and ran off to help Sakura.

Shiore clenched her fists as she narrowed her eyes at the blonde haired shinobi in front of her, her Kusanagi lost somewhere in the rubble. His intent to kill could be felt even from where she stood and set her on edge. This time, he was through playing around, if she fucked up this time, he's surely kill her. Shiore knew that she was dealing with the **real** Rinnegan Master now and that she'd have to take it up a notch. The fun and games were now well and truly over, as evidenced by the cold and dark look in Naruto's Rinnegan eyes. With this in mind, Shiore pulled out a kunai and transformed the lower half of her body into a snake's tail and charged forward with a burst of speed.

Naruto hardened his hand with the "Earth Spear Jutsu" and easily caught Shiore's hand, the kunai being unable to cut his hardened skin and catching Shiore off guard with his speed. Rearing his leg back, Naruto landed another hard karate kick to Shiore's stomach, his foot almost going through her body, sending the snake woman shooting back and hitting the destroyed tree with even more force than before. The tree cracked and shattered apart from the bone crushing force, making a booming crash that echoed throughout the entire forest. It was so loud that even Sasuke and Sakura had to cover their ears. Naruto, however, stood there unfazed as he waited for Shiore's next move. Any fool would know that Shiore still wasn't dead, not by a long shot.

Sure enough, Naruto could feel Shiore's chakra signature as the snake woman tunneled underground in blind fury, and it wasn't long before she erupted from the ground, her kunai aimed straight at Naruto'd heart. However, as the kunai came within an inch if piercing Naruto's flesh, Naruto used Shinra Tensei to shove Shiore back with great force, the gravitational shockwave creating a crater under Naruto's feet. Shiore finally came to a stop and began to pick herself up from the ground, but a foot drove itself into her gut again, causing her to double over and roll onto her back with pain. As Shiore looked up, she was surprised to see Naruto standing over her ominously like a dark shadow with a chakra disruption blade extended from his arm.

"People like you should be killed, and right now, I'm about to do the world a HUGE favor." Naruto said as he thrusted the chakra disruption blade deep into Shiore's shoulder which he had pierced before, causing Shiore to scream in agony. "Now, you know pain. The same pain that you have caused others in the past."

This time, Naruto did not try and take over her mind like her did before. He wanted her to suffer the pain that she had caused his, his team, and probably numerous others. Shiore, stopped screaming and somehow managed to fight through the agony, and very slowly and shakily, rise to her feet, each movement causing the pain to intensify until parts of her body went numb. With all of her effort Shiore pulled away from Naruto chakra disruption blade, allowing the feeling to return to her body, which only took a few seconds. During that time, Shiore realized that she had now suffered a blow to her ego: she'd not only dropped her kunai when she was pushed away, but now she'd been at the mercy of her enemy, causing the Grass ninja's frustration to build rapidly.

With frustration coursing rapidly through her veins, Shiore let out a cry of rage as she tried to land a punch to Naruto's face. However, Naruto easily caught it with one hand and squeezed, sending pain shooting up her arm and stunning her. Naruto then flung her fist away and landed a single hard punch to her face and stomach and then followed up with a hard left handed upper cut, sending Shiore skidding across the ground landing up against the tree. Naruto moved with his blazing speed and appeared at Shiore's position in only a split second. The blonde then spun around and kicked Shiore into the hollow trunk of the tree. Naruto then did a number of back flips to create some distance and then went through a large number of hand seals rapidly, his fingers moving to fast for the eye to follow.

"Fire Style: Blaze Ball" Naruto said before blowing a large, brilliant fireball from his mouth that barreled toward the tree that Shiore had been kicked into and exploded upon contact in a brilliant, fiery explosion, taking a number of the surrounding trees with it. When the dust cleared, nothing was left except for another giant black scorch mark as well as a another crater. However, Naruto still managed to make out a hole in the center of the crater where Shiore's tree had been earlier. She'd escaped at the last second yet again.

'_Damn it! Now where is she?' _Naruto thought as he looked around.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when a giant snake, like the one that had attacked him a few hours before, erupted from the ground and glared down at him with Shiore ontop of it's head.

"Serious, aren't we. You're someone I consider worthy prey, I'll give you that much, but this is where it ends dear boy." Shiore as she prepared her serpent to attack.

However, before Shiore could give the command for her serpent to strike, Sasuke stepped forth and halted the battle momentarily.

"Wait, Naruto! You don't have to fight anymore." Sasuke said as he reached the two warriors. The Uchiha then turned his attention to Shiore and reached into his pocket. "If you want this scroll, then take it. We'll find another one."

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head at what he'd just heard. Sasuke was actually surrendering and was going to give this woman their scroll, even after everything that they had just gone through? Hell no! That would mean all the suffering this woman had out them through was all for nothing. She didn't didn't deserve to have their scroll and he couldn't believe that his boyfriend, _the _Sasuke Uchiha, was about to just hand it over on a platter.

"I see......Your sensible. The only thing the "prey" can hope for from the "predator" is presenting other food and pray you would be spared, isn't it?" Shiore said as she gave another sinister smile from ontop of the giant snake's head. "Fine, I'll accept your offering. Hand it over."

Sasuke gave one last look at Naruto, seeing the disbelief written all over Naruto's face. Subconsciously, his grip tightened on their "Heaven" scroll. He knew what he was doing and he also knew that Naruto wouldn't understand. Even if they kept fighting, even if Naruto at least stood a better chance, it would all be in vain. They were against an enemy that was simply beyond them. It hadn't been an easy decision, but surrender was all Sasuke could think of to end this battle so that they all could walk away.

"Here, take it." Sasuke said as he gave one last sigh and tossed the "Heaven" scroll up to Shiore. However, moving with his lightning speed, Naruto moved forward and caught the scroll in midair before it could reach Shiore, appearing as nothing more than a yellow blur. Upon landing, Naruto did a number of back flips until he landed silently beside Sasuke.

"Naruto, damn it, don't interfere with this! Don't you understand the situation? We can't w--"

Sasuke was cut off in mid sentence as Naruto punched Sasuke square in the jaw and sent the Uchiha sprawling back on the ground, surprising both Sakura and Shiore who gave surprised gasps. Upon getting back, up Sasuke wiped the blood away from his mouth and glared back at Naruto in disbelief.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Sasuke demanded in anger. Naruto had never struck him like that in the past.

"Who are you and what have you done with the real Sasuke?" Naruto asked in a threatening voice.

"What are you talking about you loser? I am the real Sasuke!" Sasuke replied heatedly.

"Liar. The Sasuke I know would never surrender, not to anyone. This coward in front of me is....absolutely....NOT the Sasuke I know and love!" Naruto screamed back. "I don't care how strong she is! I'll keep fighting till my last breath! And who's to say she'll leave us alone even if you do give her our scroll? She'll probably still come after us and your surrender would've been for nothing! You're the one who's choked and doesn't understand the situation!"

Naruto was about to say more when Shiore Shiore's sinister chuckling cut him short. All eyes instantly darted to the woman ontop of the giant snake.

"Naruto-san.....you exactly correct!" Shiore said while licking her lips in sick pleasure. "That scroll means nothing to me. Why would I just let you hand it over when I can just kill all of you and take it myself. The fact is, you're all as good as dead!"

With that, the giant snake brought it's mighty tail down in an effort to squash the nearest opponent, which happened to be Naruto. Quickly going through some hand seals and hardening his body with the "Earth Spear" jutsu, Naruto put his hands above his head and caught the snake's heavy tail, the weight and momentum of the appendage pushing Naruto into the ground. However, rose up from the impression while holding the snake's tail and effortlessly threw the half ton appendage to the side. Normally, such a feat would be impossible, but thanks to sage chakra, anything was possible.

Naruto then made the "Ram" hand seal and focused his chakra on his next summon.

"Rinnegan Summoning Jutsu" Naruto said before a large puff of smoke engulfed him and some of the surrounding area. When the smoke cleared, Naruto now stood on the back of a giant ram that had chakra disruption spikes sticking out on various parts of its body. The most striking feature, besides it's huge size, was the pair of Rinnegan eyes that it had instead of normal eyes, distinguishing it from other summons.

Blowing steam out of it's nose, the giant ram gave a loud roar, reared it's head down, and charged forward. The giant snake barely managed to move out of the way in time as the ram smashed into the giant boulder behind it, effectively smashing the giant rock to pieces with tremendous force. The giant ram then backed and turned until it faced Shiore's serpent again and charged forward. This time, the ram jumped into the air and little and slammed back down head first. Again, the snake barely had time to move away as the ram drove it's head into the ground instead, creating a shockwave and making a deep crater. The process repeated a few more times, with the snake barely having time to move out of the way of the attacks. If it got hit once, it would be all over.

Finally, when the ram drove it's head into the ground again in a failed effort to attack, the giant snake tried to bring it's tail crashing down on the ram's back, hoping to break it's spine and paralyze it. However, the ram moved back just in time and the snake's tail hit the ground instead. Before it could pull its tail back, the giant ram sank it's teeth into the snake's tail and held on with a strong, and painful, grip. The snake hissed in pain as it tried to pull it's tail free, but the ram held on and pulled back even with greater strength. Finally, with one powerful tug, the ram let go of the snake's tail as the giant serpent was pulled underneath from the momentum. Wasting no time, the ram then gave a roar and began to trample the giant snake under its rock hard hooves. The sound of crunching bones was proof that the snake was being pulverized into the ground. A second later, the giant snake finally disappeared in a puff of smoke.

That would've been the end of it, had Shiore still been on the giant serpent when it was trampled. However, Shiore managed to jump off right before the snake was pulled under and trampled to death. One can only imagine Naruto's disappointment at discovering Shiore's smirking at him from the ground below. Before Naruto could direct the ram to attack Shiore next, the snake woman summoned another giant serpent with a summoning tattoo on her arm. This time, giant snake attacked first, lunging forward and knocking the giant ram to ground. Wasting no time, the giant serpent then wrapped it's thick body around the giant ram and squeezing with all of it's strength. The giant ram fought to be free, but was ultimately crushed to death before disappearing in a puff of smoke, defeated. Luckily, Naruto managed to jump off just in time and he now glared at Shiore from the ground before making a run for the forest.

It didn't take long for Shiore to notice Naruto running across the clearing to the forest and she gave an excited hiss as she commanded her snake to attack. Naruto managed to leap up into the tree just as Shiore's serpent reached him, striking every chance it got and forcing Naruto jump from tree to tree to stay ahead. Sasuke and Sakura decided to follow the two combatants in case Naruto needed help. The arrived just in time to see the giant snake flick Naruto up into the air with it's tongue, causing Naruto slam into the underside of a tree branch and cough up a little blood. Luckily, the sage chakra absorbed most of the pain, so Naruto didn't pass out. Taking the opportunity, Naruto pulled himself up onto the branch to catch his breath. However, the time limit for Sage Mode expired and Naruto's pupils went back to normal and the reddish-orange pigments around his eyes disappeared. Still, Naruto had one more trick up his sleeve.

Allowing the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra to run throughout his body, Naruto felt a tingling sensation as the fox's red chakra began to engulf his body in a concentrated cloak. The blonde's eyes turned red and his pupils turned into vertical slits while the Rinnegan was still activated, giving them a very "unique" look. Black rings formed around Naruto's eyes, his nails become sharp claws, and his teeth became fangs that protruded slightly from his mouth. The Nine Tail's cloak became more concentrated until it formed a shield around his entire body, as well as a tail and fox-like ears on Naruto's head. In only a few seconds, Naruto had taken on the image of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. Shiore's eye's widened at what she had just seen.

'_It can't be! That brat is the jinchūriki of the Nine Tailed Fox?' _Shiore realized in disbelief, then licked her lips in excitement. '_So that's where all of his chakra comes from, huh. Well then, I'd say this fight just became all the more interesting.'_

With an animalistic cry of rage, Naruto shot forward and landed a hard punch to the snake's nose, snapping its head back and causing it to hit the back of its head on the thick tree behind it. Naruto landed on the snake's nose and then pushed back off of it, doing a back flip though the air, and landing safely on the tree branch again. Not wanting to give the giant snake an edge, Naruto extended both his arms forward. A second later, two other arms and hands that were made completely out of the Kyuubi's red chakra, extended from Naruto's original arms. Naruto formed the red chakra hands into fists and began to pound the giant snake in the face wildly while roaring like a caged animal. With each hit, the Kyuubi's chakra would burn away some of the skin on the snake's face, causing added damage. Sasuke and Sakura stood by and watched in disbelief at what their friend had just become.

'_Naruto is....out of control? It's like he's become some kind of.....animal!' _Sakura thought as she watched her teammate pound the giant snake with hit after hit of his red chakra extensions.

'_Is that Naruto? No, that can't be him.' _Sasuke thought, but the blonde hair was a dead giveaway that his eyes weren't deceiving him. '_That must be the power of the Nine Tailed Fox Naruto told me about back at the Ninja Academy. I didn't know that he could control it at will like that. And his power....I can feel it all the way from here. And that huge animal summon....what **was** that? It doesn't make any sense, Naruto. How did you summon something like that? How did you get this **strong**? How?'_

By the time Naruto got finished, the snake had most of the skin on its face burned away, exposing some of the muscle underneath. Somehow though, the snake still managed to hang in there, though barely. If it kept taking hits like that, it wouldn't last for much longer. With another cry of frustration, Naruto shot off the branch again, this time towards Shiore. This time, he was going straight for the source. If he took her out, the snake would disappear and this battle would be over. However, as he got closer, Shiore made a few hand seals and blew a stream of fire from her mouth. Naruto was hit dead on and was sent flying backwards, going through a number of tree branches as he started going down before he finally landed on one with a hard thud.

"Well, that was satisfying. I must say, he put up quite a fight and I'll honor his death later on. Right now, however, I'll take you out next Uchiha." Shiore said as she turned her attention to Sasuke, who visibly tensed under Shiore's gaze. "What will you do now that your lover is dead?"

With a hiss, Shiore's giant serpent charged forward with the intent to swallow Sasuke whole in one gulp. All the while, Shiore was grinning sadistically like a madwoman with sick, twisted glee. This had been a hell of a fight and she would write down in her in her memory book as one of the most satisfying fights she's ever had. Now, it would all be over.

"Sasuke-kun, you have to run!" Sasuke screamed from the branch on the far right of Sasuke's.

However, Sasuke didn't seem to hear her. He was paralyzed by fear and was rooted to the spot where he stood. In fact, the raven could not move even if he wanted to. All he could was widen his eyes as his death came closer and closer. He had fought all he could, but it wasn't enough. This would be his final resting place.

'_I can't move my body. I'm finished.' _Sasuke thought as the giant snake came ever closer, towering above him now. '_So....this is how it ends. I'm sorry....I failed you, Naruto.'_

As the snake got ready to open its mouth and swallow Sasuke, Naruto, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleported in front of Sasuke and managed stop the giant serpent before it could reach his boyfriend. The giant snake snake's snout rested against Naruto's back, who still had the Nine Tails cloak around his body. Holding the snake back with both hands and breathing heavily, Naruto looked up at Sasuke with a smirk.

'_This boy....is simply amazing.' _Shiore said with sadistic grin.

"Hey....are you alright.....scaredy cat?" Naruto said with a slight chuckle.

Sasuke'e eyes widened in shock. Those words.....they were the same words that Sasuke had said to Naruto on their first C-Ranked mission to escort a bridge builder named Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Along the way, they had been attacked by a couple of rogue ninja known as the Demon Brothers. During the fight, Naruto had frozen up and Sasuke had been the one to save him from what would've been a fatal attack. Now, history had repeated itself, but things were now the other way around. (Talk about deja vu.)

"N-Naruto" Sasuke stuttered, feeling ashamed that he'd been given a taste of his own medicine.

"You're definitely not the Sasuke I know. The Sasuke I know would never act the way you're acting right now, you coward." Naruto said through heavy breaths. "An Uchiha would never freeze up in the face of danger like that. I don't know who you are, but you're not _my _Sasuke."

The Nine Tails cloak finally dissipated from around Naruto's body at his silent command. The cloak was starting to cause too much damage to his body and he couldn't have his body shutting down on him now at a time like this. Now, Naruto looked almost completely normal, except his Rinnegan was still activated, his iris was still blood red, and his pupils were still vertical slits that bulged slightly for a split second. Before Naruto could make another move, Shiore's tongue wrapped around his waist and lifted him up into the air, catching everyone off guard. Smirking, Shiore brought a struggling Naruto closer until she stared at him just inches from his face.

'_I see how it is. Whenever you get excited and find yourself in a hopeless situation, you the tap into the Kyuubi's chakra and allow it to leak out your body in a concentrated form. However, it damages your body the longer it's in effect so you only use it as a last resort.' _Shiore though to herself as she made a quick hand seal. The then opened her hand as her finger tips began to blow light purple and a kanji appeared on each finger tip.

Shiore then used her other hand and lifted up Naruto's shirt to reveal the seal mark on Naruto's stomach. The same seal mark which held the Nine Tailed Demonic Fox within Naruto's body. Upon seeing it, Shiore couldn't help but to grin evilly.

'_Good, the seal is appearing on your skin like a tattoo. Now....it's all over. Ninja Art: Five Pronged Seal!' _Shiore thought to herself as she thrusted her fingertips into Naruto's stomach where his seal mark was.

Naruto hollered in pain as he felt a sharp burning sensation on his stomach. The blonde shinobi then began to become lightheaded as he felt the Kyuubi's chakra receding from his body and consciousness. No matter how much he struggled, Naruto could not get free and the burning sensation on his stomach was becoming unbearable. Finally, Shiore withdrew her fingers and smirked at the new seal she had placed on Naruto's seal mark. It wouldn't last for very long, but it would keep Naruto unconscious for a short time, and during that time, he wouldn't e able to draw out the Nine Tail's chakra or even his own chakra for that matter. Meanwhile, Sasuke stood by and watched helplessly as Naruto's eyes went back to normal and his form go limp.

"Sasuke-kun! You have to help Naruto-kun, he's in danger!" Sakura screamed as she tried to get to her feet, but the pain in her wounded shoulder brought her back down to her knees. She's managed to heal most of it, but the pain was still there and she'd need more time to heal it fully.

Meanwhile, Shiore continued to hold Naruto in the air close to her with her tongue as she studied him carefully. It would be sometime before he woke up again and she now she had the chance to study this strange boy a little more closely.

'_Hmm, according to the date on the seal, it has been twelve years since the seal was placed. Since then, Naruto-kun's chakra and the Nine Tail's chakra are beginning to act in synch.' _Shiore thought to herself as she reached into Naruto's weapons pouch and pulled out Squad 7's "Heaven" scroll. The blonde had put it there when he'd caught in midair. '_But now....you're in the way.'_

Without another thought, Shiore carelessly tossed Naruto aside with her tongue, leaving Naruto's limp body to plummet to the forest floor below.

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura cried in alarm. '_If I don't do something, he'll fall to his death.'_

Thinking quickly, Sakura pulled out a kunai and threw a kunai though the air, despite the pain her shoulder. The kunai whizzed through the air and managed to pin Naruto to a tree by his shirt.

Seeing that Naruto was safe for the time being, Sakura then focused her attention on Sasuke, who was still just standing there as though his body was paralyzed. As Sakura looked at him, her anger began to grow more and more. Sasuke had just watched his boyfriend be defeated and tossed aside like trash......and Sasuke was just going to stand there?

"Sasuke! What the hell is wrong with you?" Sakura hollered with fury. " How could you just stand there and let Naruto be tossed aside like that? Sure he may be annoying at times and he may get in the way, but at least he's no coward! At least he fought his ass off and didn't just stand there like a scared child!"

Sasuke let Sakura's words sink in for a minute. As he thought more and more about what she'd said, he couldn't help clench his hands into fists. Sakura was right and he knew it. His Naru-chan had been tossed aside like a piece of trash and he'd just stood there like a dumbass. Naruto had fought his hardest and put his life on the line to save both him and Sakura, and Sasuke could do was stand there, paralyzed with fear as Naruto, _his _Naruto was incapacitated. Sasuke felt lower than shit at that moment and could only close his eyes and hang his head in shame. He felt both angry and jealous at the same time, angry because he'd done nothing and jealous because he was the one who'd had to be saved, on more than one occasion at that! As he closed his eyes, one man entered Sasuke's mind and uttered the words Sasuke had grown to hate all of life.

"_Foolish little brother" _the mysterious figure said, his voice echoing within Sasuke's mind. "_If you want to kill me, then resent me, hate me and continue to live your ugly life. _

Instantly, Sasuke felt anger exploded throughout his body like a wildfire. His Sharingan activated all on it's own, activated by his fury alone. He wasn't a coward. In order to defeat **that** man, he had to be strong. If he couldn't even kill this one woman, then he had no chance of killing that certain man, his older brother. Not only that, he'd make this woman pay for what she'd done to his team, especially for what she'd done to his Naru-chan.

"No!" Sasuke said as he glared at Shiore with all of his hatred, his colder than ice. "You'll pay for what you've done."

Shiore, however, only smirked in delight at Sasuke's tone and burst of anger. The snake woman couldn't help but lick her lips with her snake-like tongue.

'_Just what I expect of the Uchiha Clan.....his blood is beginning to stir.' _Shiore thought with satisfaction. _I'll take my time and confirm his true power.'_

Sasuke's hair began to float up eerily as he focused his chakra for his upcoming attack. Seeing this, Shiore began to cackle maniacally as she pulled back her sleeve, revealing her summoning tattoo. A few moments later, the giant snake underneath Shiore disappeared in a puff of smoke and Shiore was forced to jumped back and stand on another tree branch that was right across from Sasuke's, but much higher.

'_This is it. I have to live so I can kill my older brother.....so I can protect Naruto.' _Sasuke thought as he pulled out a kunai and held it in his mouth. '_But it's me who was being stupid, Naruto, Sakura! How can someone who can't even put his life on the line in a situation like this....ever hope to beat **that** man?'_

With new found confidence Sasuke charged forward at full speed, intending to Shiore down with the kunai in his mouth. However, Shiore made a hand seal and unleashed a burst of wind equivalent to the one that had separated Squad 7. Sensing the attack, Sasuke jumped into the air and threw not only the kunai in his mouth, but also a handful more. Smirking, Shiore effortlessly moved from side to side and avoided the deadly projectiles with ease.

Sasuke landed horizontally on a tree behind Shiore and pushed with his feet as hard as he could, racing toward Shiore like a speeding bullet. The Uchiha managed to throw two kicks, both of which Shiore blocked, before doing a flip over her head and landing silently on the same thick branch that she was on. Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Shiore moved in on Sasuke, who charged forward also, and the two engaged each other in heated hand to hand combat. The two warriors exchanged blow after blow to each other before Shiore jumped in the air to avoid one of Sasuke's punches. The snake woman then landed behind Sasuke and began to move around faster than the eye could keep up, appearing as nothing more than a blur as she raced at breakneck speeds around Sasuke, transforming her lower body into a snake's tail again as she moved.

'_Your speed isn't going to work one me this time, you bitch.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he clenched his teeth in determination. '_This time, I can see your every move!'_

Shiore abruptly stopped circling Sasuke and lunged at him without warning. However, Sasuke saw it coming from a mile away and moved out of the way just in time as Shiore struck, hitting the branch underneath him and instead and going underwood. At the moment, Shiore appeared to be stuck and Sasuke wasn't about to waste this opportunity.

The Uchiha did a few back flips to create some distance and then began to go through a series of hand seals. After going through a number of hand seals, Sasuke blew fireball after fireball into the spot where Shiore was. After blowing out a total of 10 fireballs, Sasuke finished it off by inhaling as much air as he could and then exhaling a large stream of fire, hoping to burn Shiore to a pile of ashes. The combination of attacks created a miniature fire tornado that Shiore barely managed to escape from by tunneling further into the thick tree branch. Sensing Sasuke's chakra, Shiore moved through the tree branch toward Sasuke like a shark moves through the ocean towards its prey. Luckily, Sasuke was able to do a back flip through the air just as Shiore emerged and struck. Sasuke landed safely a few feet away and got into a defensive stance, ready for Shiore's next move.

"You're good." Shiore said as she emerged from the tree branch. "You foretell my movements and your aim is beyond accurate. Heh, you can actually see my moves, can't you Uchiha?"

When Sasuke continued to glare at her, Shiore's smirk grew even wider. After quickly making a hand seal, Shiore slammed both her fists on the branch, unleashing a shockwave of wind, causing Sasuke to jump in order to dodge it. The shockwave of wind tore apart the tree that was behind Sasuke, reducing to nothing but splinters and pieces of wood in only a matter of minutes. Sasuke landed on the underside of the tree branch directly above Shiore and dove down like a missile, catching Shiore off guard, who let out a shriek as Sasuke grabbed her on his way down. The Uchiha wrapped his legs around her waist and grabbed her ankles as they plummeted down at top speed.

"Peregrine Falcon Drop!" Sasuke yelled as he drove Shiore into the thick tree branch under them with more force than the last time.

Sasuke then jumped back and breathed a sigh of relief when Shiore's eyes rolled up in the back of her head. However, Sasuke visibly tensed in disbelief when Shiore dissolved into a pile of mud, meaning that it had been an Earth clone.

"What? When did she.....damn it!" Sasuke yelled in frustration.

Suddenly, a kunai whizzed through the air, cutting Sasuke's cheek and embedding itself in a tree. From out of nowhere, a shower of kunai came raining down, forcing Sasuke to jump from the branch or risk being impaled by the rain of metal. As he fell through the air, Sasuke pulled threads of trip wire and caught them unto a branch that sticking out from the tree itself. Sasuke used this to swing around the tree like Tarzan until he came to a thick tree branch that he safely landed on, believing himself to be out of danger. However, he was proven wrong when the real Shiore came from out of nowhere and punched Sasuke hard in the face. She then followed up by punching him the face a few more times, kneeing him the gut, and then finished it off by sending the Uchiha sprawling back with a strong left hook. Sasuke groaned in pain as he skidded and stopped near the giant tree itself.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled as she watched the battle below, cringing in pain. She wanted to help out as best she could, but there was no way she could fight with her shoulder still in a fucked up condition. Sakura knew that she'd be more of a hindrance then a helping hand, so all she could do was watch from above. Never before had Sakura felt so useless. She'd make it up to Naruto and Sasuke somehow.....if they managed to survive this encounter, that is. Making a hand seal, Sakura put her hand to her shoulder and tried to heal her wound some more, despite how slow the process was. If she were a more experienced medical ninja, her wound would've been healed fully by now. Besides, if she could help Sasuke, she'd only get in his way. This woman was far beyond what Sakura could handle.

Meanwhile, on the ground below, Shiore slowly approached Sasuke while chuckling darkly. The Uchiha had gotten a second wind and had fought valiantly. However, it simply wasn't enough. Oh well, at least he could say he died fighting.

"What a disappointment you turned out to be." Shiore said once she'd reached Sasuke. "Your ancestors weep. In fact, the Uchiha Clan should thank me for killing a weakling like you, silly little worm."

As Shiore got ready to deal the final killing blow, the miniature exploding tags that Sasuke had placed on the back of Shiore's garb sometime during their fight exploded at the same time, causing Shiore to shriek and stumble forward awkwardly. Using this as his opportunity, Sasuke got to his feet and moved behind Shiore. Doing a backflip through the air, Sasuke attached trip wire to a handful of shuriken and threw them at the snake woman one after the other while still in midair. Using the trip wire, Sasuke manipulated the blades so that circled around the tree, spreading the trip wire as they went around.

"Amazing! This is the Sharingan Triple Windmill Attack!" Shiore said as she looked at the shurikens buzzing around her.

Sasuke smirked as he pulled on the trip wire as hard as he could, tightening the trip wire around the tree and pinning Shiore against. There was no point in struggling to get free. Shiore was fucked and she knew it. This time, she couldn't regurgitate a new body like she would normally as she did not have enough chakra left. As she watched Sasuke go through a series of hand seals, Shiore knew instantly that there would be no escape this time.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu" Sasuke before blowing a stream of flames from his mouth.

The flames shot forward and engulfed Shiore's body with force. The snake woman screamed as she was burned alive, feeling the skin begin to melt from her face. Above, Sakura gave a triumphant smile. Finally, Shiore had been put down.

"Yes, he did it!" Sakura said with a bright smile. '_CHA! Kick ass Sasuke-kun!' _Inner Sakura said while pumping a fist in the air from within Sakura's mind.

Finally, the fight was over. The flames died, the top part of the tree was burnt blacker than charcoal and Shiore stood tied against it, a smoking heap. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his guard, letting go of his grip on the tripwire and falling to his knees in exhaustion. Seeing that Sasuke needed help, Sakura pushed through the pain in her shoulder, and slowly made her way down to Sasuke's level. Upon reaching she gently put her hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down and take a deep breath. It's all over now." Sakura said as she helped Sasuke get to his feet again. Sasuke followed Sakura's advice and managed to clam himself down before moving on his own. However, neither Sasuke nor Sakura noticed when Shiore stirred back to life and broke free of the now loosened tripwire. Forming a hand seal, Shiore opened her eyes and stared directly at both Sasuke and Sakura.

Suddenly, Sasuke's body went paralyzed. No matter how hard he tried, Sasuke simply couldn't move. Sakura, on the hand, had her entire body be wracked with pain. From out of nowhere, pain seemed to erupt from every pore on her body and Sakura was forced to drop to her knees in agony. Suddenly, Shiore's voice rang out through the now quiet forest, causing both Sasuke and Sakura to look her way in disbelief.

'_Impossible! There's just no end!' _Sasuke cried out in frustration from within his head.

"Such mastery of the Sharingan at such a young age. I guess you're a true Uchiha after all." Shiore said as her voice changed in mid sentence, sounding raspy and more masculine. "Yes....you'll do nicely. More so than than the one with the Rinnegan, the one you called Naruto."

Shiore then moved her hand to her forehead protector and left it there for a few seconds. When she removed it, it now had a symbol of a music note, identifying her as a Sound ninja instead of a Grass ninja like only moments before.

"Heh, you definitely **his **brother. If anything, your eyes are even keener than Itachi's." Shiore said in her strange, new voice.

At the mention of hearing Itachi's name, Sasuke's shock increased ten times. How did this woman, or whatever she was, know about his older brother. In fact, how did she even know that Sasuke and Itachi were even related? Nobody was supposed to know that outside of the Leaf Village. The massacre of the Uchiha Clan had been kept top secret and it was forbidden to even talk about it, much like the Nine Tailed Fox. So how did this guy, or woman, know about it?

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" Sasuke demanded, now confused beyond words.

"My name is Orochimaru. As for what I want, I'm afraid that will have to wait." Shiore, now identified as Orochimaru, said while chuckling sinisterly. "However, I'm afraid we meet again until after you finish this test with the best score of all."

As Orochimaru spoke, he pulled out Squad 7's "Heaven" scroll and held it up for them to see. Then, right before their very eyes, Orochimaru burned it into nothing more than a pile of ashes. Now Squad 7 would have to get both an "Earth" scroll **AND **another "Heaven" scroll.

"No, the scroll!" Sakura cried helplessly as she watched it burn to ashes.

"Don't worry, you'll get your chance at another one. First, however, you'll have to face the Sound shinobi team that serves me. They have at least one of the scrolls you're after." Orochimaru informed them.

"I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about!" Sakura hollered back. "If you don't anything else to say, then just beat it already! If we ever meet again, it'll be too soon!"

Orochimaru chuckled before making a weird hand seal.

"Oh, don't worry. Sasuke and I _**will **_meet again." Orochimaru said darkly.

Suddenly, Orochimaru's neck stretched out and forward, like a snake's, and surged towards Sasuke. The Uchiha could nothing as watched as Orochimaru came ever closer at alarming speeds. As he got closer, both Sasuke and Sakura could now see that Shiore's old face was almost completely melted away. Behind it, they had expected to see muscle or at least bone. Instead, behind Shiore's face was.....another face! The other face was chalk white, the eyes were yellow, the pupils were vertical slits, and around the only visible eye was a purple ring.

Before Sasuke and Sakura could voice their surprise, Orochimaru reached Sasuke and sunk his fangs **(yes fangs) **into the base on the back of Sasuke's neck. After pumping some strange enzyme into Sasuke's blood stream rather than venom, Orochimaru pulled back and returned to his body now that his work was done. Within moments, a Curse Mark appeared on the back of Sasuke's neck. It consisted three black tomoe in a circle formation, resembling the Sharingan. Instantly, pain surged throughout Sasuke entire body, breaking the Paralysis Jutsu and allowing Sasuke to grip the back of his neck in pure agony.

"Sasuke-kun, no!" Sakura screamed in alarm. The pinkette then turned her attention to Orochimaru and glared with all of her hatred. "What have you done to Sasuke-kun you son of bitch?"

"Nothing, dear child. I simply gave him a little parting gift that should help him catch up to that Rinnegan brat." Orochimaru said before making a one handed "Ram" hand seal. "Pretty soon, you precious Sasuke-kun will seek me out and desire my power. In the meantime, I've enjoyed the demonstration of the power you already possess."

Those were Orochimaru's last words before sinking into the tree branch he was standing on and disappearing from view. Sakura felt it when his signature disappeared and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it was over. This time, it was for sure. However, Sakura was brought back to attention when Sasuke screamed in pain, his screams echoing throughout the entire forest. Instantly, Sakura was at his side.

"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? What did he do to you?" Sakura asked as she pulled Sasuke closer to her.

"My....neck" Sasuke managed to choke out before pain erupted from all over his body again.

Sakura checked the back of Sasuke's neck until she saw the Curse Mark. She gasped and ran her finger over it, causing Sasuke to spasm in pain and scream louder. Whatever this strange mark was causing Sasuke unbearable pain and there was nothing Sakura could do to stop it. All the pinkette could do was pull Sasuke into her lap and hold him close to ease the pain a little. However, the pain simply intensified to the point where Sasuke passed out. Sakura sighed as she looked over to where Naruto was still pinned to a tree not to far away. It was going to be tough, but she'd have to nurse her two teammates back to health again. It was her job as the team's medical ninja, and if she didn't do it, then who would?

After all, she owed them at least that much.

**Okay everyone. I hope you have enjoyed chapter 27. I'm sorry it's so long, but I wanted to go ahead and get this out of the way. Besides, I kept you guys waiting long enough, so I figured you all deserved a longer chapter than what I normally write. Anyway, in the next chapter, Sakura encounters Team Dosu and she must fight them off on her own while looking after Naruto and Sasuke. How will this turn out? Stay tuned and find out in the next chapter. Also, I apologize for the wait. Exams are coming up at my school and I've had to study like crazy. I've barely had time to write all week! But, I finally got it done, and I hope you all enjoyed it. Also, don't forget to review and let me know what you guys think.**

**By the way, this is my longest chapter so far. It has over 15,000 words! Can you believe that? I didn't know I had it in me to write that much.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. Although, if I could own at least one Naruto character, it would be between Itachi and Pain.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 28**

Anko Mitarashi bounded through the trees of the Forest of Death as quickly as she possibly could in her efforts to track down the source of the all too familiar ominous chakra signature that she sensed not too far away. After finding the bodies of the original Team Shiore and sending off the group Chunin that come to investigate off with her orders, Anko had dived head first into the Forest of Death to track down the man that had traumatized her entire childhood, wanting to find him as quickly as possible before he could harm any of the contestants. Sure, the whole point of the test was survival, but they were **nowhere** near ready to take on **that **man. I mean, they were only Genin. **That **man, however, was one of the legendary Sannin, like Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade. The only Genin that **might** actually stand a chance was that kid with the Rinnegan. However, even with the Rinnegan's amazing abilities, he still wouldn't be able to go up against the man she was currently getting ready to bring down. As she raced through the forest, Anko could only hope that she'd have reached him before he could claim any victims, besides the original Team Shiore. As she moved, Anko could feel the ominous chakra presence moving also, until finally, it stopped not too far away on a cluster of some of the biggest, thickest trees in the entire forest. Realizing that her target had finally stopped, Anko increased her pace even more and did a number of flips through the branches until she finally reached the right tree. It was time to end this here, before **he** could cause any real damage.

Anko did a flip forward and landed horizontally on the side of the thick tree, using chakra to stick to the surface. Otherwise, she would've fallen off. Looking behind her, Anko saw her target actually embedded in the thick tree branch a number of feet down from her. Instantly, a silent rage coursed through her veins at seeing the bastard again. Instantly, her childhood memories came flooding back all at once, all of the horrors and experiments he'd put her through. Now, years later, she could finally have her revenge. Currently, he was still in his Shiore disguise, however, Anko noticed that the face was partially melted just enough to show his real face, meaning that he had already been in a battle.

'_I see. So he's resting here to regain his strength. Now is my time to strike while he's vulnerable.' _Anko thought silently to herself as she walked forward. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when **that **man, Orochimaru, began to chuckle as he opened his only visible yellow eye. The shadows cast by the branches and leaves made the setting all the more eerier.

"Well well, Anko, it's been a while" Orochimaru said in a calm raspy voice that made Anko shutter in disgust. She had hoped she'd never hear that voice again since she was a little girl. Whenever she heard it, it felt as though Anko was being choked by snakes, as though the very life was being choked out of her. It chilled her down to the very bone and Anko hated it almost as much as she hated the man in front of her, if he could even be considered a man. The word "monster" seemed to be the better word.

"This is no time to reminisce! You're an S-Rank criminal at the very top of Konoha's Most Wanted list." Anko informed Orochimaru boldly, not showing her inner fear at seeing source of her nightmares. "You've got to be taken down and it;s only fitting that I'm the one to do it. Because, after all, you're the one who taught me everything, right sensei?"

"Not quite!" Orochimaru sneered, strangely eager.

Anko let her anger to the surface and allowed it to flow through out her body, just like Orochimaru had taught her when she was a little girl. While shinobi were normally taught to suppress their emotions, Orochimaru taught Anko how to channel her raw emotions instead, and draw strength from them rather than keep them below the surface. Now, as she felt the rage build within her and explode, Anko was glad that she'd actually paid attention then. With a grunt, Anko pulled out 4 senbon needles and was about to hurl them at Orochimaru, but the snake Sannin struck first. His abnormal, snake like tongue whipped out with lightning speed, forcing Anko to jump back as it struck the spot where she had just been a few seconds ago. Anko didn't have long to recover, for Orochimaru's tongue came at her again and this time managed to wrap around her wrist, causing her to drop her senbon needles. With a hard tug, Orochimaru managed to pull a struggling Anko closer toward him, but Anko pulled back in order to keep some distance between them. What resulted was a tug of war between the two, which Anko quickly grew tired of.

"Striking Shadow Snake!" Anko said as she raised her arm towards Orochimaru, letting a stream of snakes slither out from her under her sleeve who then lunged forward with amazing speed, seeming to hit Orochimaru dead on.

"Now, come on out of there!" Anko demanded as she felt her snakes grab hold and gave a hard tug, succeeding in pulling Orochimaru out of the tree branch he had embedded himself in. Anko dragged Orochimaru toward him and slammed him roughly into the tree branch behind her before retracting her snakes back within her sleeve. The purple haired woman then pinned Orochimaru to the branch by lacing her hands within his cold, clammy ones.

"Now then, I just need to borrow you left hand for a minute." Anko said before making a hand seal with both her's and Orochimaru's left hand. Needless to say, Orochimaru recognized it instantly, as he was the one who taught Anko the jutsu in the first place.

"That hand seal..." Orochimaru said, letting his voice trail off as he knew what was coming next.

"That's right you son of a bitch, it's over. You and I are going to die here." Anko said while giving off a smirk. The purple haired Leaf kunoichi hadn't planned to go out this way, but she would gladly sacrifice her life to protect Konoha, especially if that meant she could take this bastard with her to the next world. "Ninja Art: Twin Snake Sacrifice Jutsu"

Normally, an individual would be panicking right now since this would be their end. Orochimaru, however, only chuckled sinisterly, catching Anko off guard and confusing the hell out of her. This guy was about to die, so why was he laughing?

"Sorry, but I'm afraid you'll be dying alone Anko." Orochimaru said before emerging up behind Anko. The purple haired kunoichi's eyes widened in disbelief at feeling his presence behind her. This whole time, she was sure that she'd had him. Obviously, however, he'd been one step ahead the entire time. Slowly, Anko turned her head to look at him.

"That's right dear Anko, substitution." Orochimaru said while pulling off the remain's of Shiore's face, exposing his real chalk-white, snake featured face. Not only that, Orochimaru's attire had changed as well. He now wore the standard uniform of the Anbu Black Ops, consisting of black and gray armor and metal arm guards. Also, the snake man now wore a forehead protector with a symbol of a music note on the front, signifying that he was a Sound shinobi. His long black hair cascaded down his back freely and he now had his arms crossed as a show of confidence. Horrified, Anko spun back around and was greeted with the sight of what she thought was Orochimaru melt into a harmless pile of mud, meaning that it had been an Earth clone the entire time. As the Earth clone dematerialized, the real Orochimaru laughed his ass off manically, his dark laughter echoing throughout the forest.

"Of course, you're one of the elite now. A righteous warrior, using the forbidden jutsu I taught you all those years ago. How eager you were back then." Orochimaru taunted as he began to walk closer to Anko. Acting off of instinct, Anko pulled out a kunai and hurled it at Orochimaru, hoping that it would hit the bastard right between the eyes. However, Anko's hopes were crushed when Orochimaru effortlessly caught it with two fingers, much in the same way Naruto did.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid that won't work Anko." Orochimaru said while making a one handed-hand seal. Instantly, Anko's entire body went paralyzed and she could do nothing as Orochimaru continued to walk towards her. Anko closed her eyes and waited for the death blow, but slowly reopened her eyes when nothing came. She was met with Orochimaru's grinning face and it didn't take long for her anger to take over again. That grin was really starting to piss her off.

"Why are you here?" Anko demanded harshly. The question had been wracking her brain, but she hadn't been able to come up with a plausible answer. There was simply no good reason why this man would just suddenly just show up from out of nowhere. This just caused Orochimaru to chuckle softly before moving a few strands of hair from in front of his face.

"Honestly, I'm disappointed. I expected a friendlier reception after all this time." Orochimaru said instead of answering Anko's question, just to tease her even further. He had to admit, toying with people was too much fun. In fact, having this much fun should be illegal.

"Don't tell me you're here to assassinate Lord Hokage." Anko said while breathing heavily, fighting to regain control of her body, but failing.

"No, at least, not yet. I don't have enough followers to attempt something like that, but I've heard such good things about this village that I decided that I would make it mine." Orochimaru said casually.

Suddenly, Anko's entire body became overrun with pain and she dropped to her knees, managing to bring a hand up to cup the backside of her neck. Orochimaru's smirk grew a wider at seeing this.

"It's the curse mark, isn't it? Funny, I just gave that same curse mark to a young man not too long ago." Orochimaru revealed. "He's a very promising prospect, more so than the Rinnegan Master, if I do say so myself."

Anko fought through the pain and glared up at her former sensei in absolute disgust. How could this _thing _even be considered a human being? Looking at him, Anko had a lot of trouble believing that this monster had once been one of Konoha's greatest and most honorable warriors. What had gone wrong?

"You haven't changed at all I see. That boy will die before he ever serves you." Anko said before she was overcome with pain once again.

"Hmmm, quite possibly. I'd see the odds are 1 in 10 against him. Although, who's to say? The kid may survive just as you did." Orochimaru said while looking up at the moon. It was sunset around the time Anko and the group of Chunin had found the bodies of the original Team Shiore, so by now, night had fallen and the full moon hung brightly in the dark sky.

"Sounds like you want him badly, huh?" Anko said with a sarcastic sneer. However, her sneer disappeared when Orochimaru gently brushed his hand against Anko's cheek.

"What's the matter Anko? Don't tell me you jealous." Orochimaru taunted as he gently rubbed Anko's smooth skin. "You can't forgive me, can you? For using you and then tossing you aside like the piece of garbage you are. In fact, the boy with the curse mark, Sasuke, has even more potential than you had. He might even surpass the Rinnegan Master. You see, he's inherited the superb abilities of the Uchiha Clan. Also, his physical condition is excellent. Yes, he may very well be the heir I'm looking for."

Orochimaru then stood up and smirked down at Anko, who could only glare up helplessly as Orochimaru continued.

"In the very least, he makes things quite interesting. Whatever happens, make sure nobody stops the exams early. Three of my followers are also candidates in these exams, just to give you a heads up and I look forward to seeing how they fare." Orochimaru said as he turned his back and disappeared in a burst of violet flames. Before his chakra signature disappeared completely, Orochimaru's eerily raspy voice echoed throughout the forest as he delivered his final message.

"Bare this in mind: if anything happens to deprive me of my fun, it means the end of the Leaf Village." With that, Orochimaru's chakra signature disappeared and he was gone within a split second, leaving Anko still on her knees and holding the backside of her neck.

* * *

Team Guy had decided to make their camp near the riverbank and were now planning what they would once tomorrow came. They still needed to find the scroll they needed, and so far, they'd only succeeded in finding shinobi that had the exact same scroll that they had. After hours of searching and coming up empty handed, Team Guy had decided to call it a day. The camp that they had made was only temporary. They were kind of out in the open and they needed to get moving. After letting his teammates rest for a 5 minutes longer, Neji, as team leader, decided that it was time to move. With the fall of night, they now had the art of stealth on their side, making this the perfect opportunity to find their prey.

"Alright, that's enough resting up I think. The other teams will be calling it a day soon...and that means it's time to strike. You both know the plan: we split up and fan out. Whatever happens, whether we make contact with another team or not, we meet up back here in this spot." Neji instructed as he threw a kunai straight down into the ground. "Got it?"

"No sweat" Tenten said with a sigh. She had been hoping that they could rest for a little while longer.

"Roger" Lee said, giving off a salute.

"Alright then. Team Guy, let's move!" Neji said as he gave the command.

Without needing to be told twice, the members of Team Guy split up in search of a "Heaven" scroll, looking to take out some more teams along the way.

* * *

Sakura furrowed her brow in worry as she placed a hand against Sasuke's cheek. The boy boy was still wincing in pain, and to further complicate matters, his fever was beginning to get worse as he felt warmer than he did 5 minutes ago. As Sasuke began to breathe a little easier again, Sakura gave a soft sigh. It had been several hours since the fight against Team Shiore and Sakura had managed to collect both Sasuke and Naruto, as well as create a small shelter underneath a slightly uprooted tree in a clearing. Since then, Sakura had managed to fully heal her injured shoulder as well as fully heal the injuries of her teammates. Now all she had to was watch over them until they woke up.

"Well, at least he's breathing a little easier now." Sakura said as she gently combed her fingers through Sasuke's dark hair. "Now if only his fever would go down some."

Sakura looked down at Sasuke and then over Naruto, letting another more worried sigh.

'_It looks like it's up to me for the time being. No matter what, I'll protect these two with my life. They risked their lives for me so I'll do the same for them. It's the least I can do, after all.' _Sakura thought as she sat and watched over her two incapacitated teammates. '_I just hope they wake up before the deadline comes up.'_

As Sakura stood guard, she was unaware that she was being watched from up in the low trees by three shinobi who were none other than Team Dosu, the Sound shinobi squad who had attacked Kabuto before the start of the first part of the Chunin Exams. They studied Sakura carefully and planned how they would go about their attack. They were there for Sasuke and they had a score to settle with the Rinnegan Master, but if they managed to take out the girl, then that be just as good for revenge. Dosu let out a sinister chuckle as he watched the unsuspecting pink haired kunoichi.

"Heh, found you." Dosu said as he narrowed his only visible eye. "Alright, just as Orochimaru ordered, we will strike at daybreak and remember that our target is the Uchiha."

"Yeah yeah, but if the other two get in our way, we can take them out, right?" Zaku asked with his arms crossed. The male Sound ninja was still pretty sore at being beaten with one punch by the one with the Rinnegan, Naruto he'd called himself, and he was itching for some payback.

"Of course, the Rinnegan Master especially. I know you have a score to settle with him Zaku, so I'll leave him to you. Just make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew." Dosu warned as he continued to watch Sakura and the rest of Squad 7 carefully. Zaku only sneered at Dosu's warning, confident that he could handle anything the Rinnegan Master through at him. The kid was just a rookie after all.

* * *

Night time came and went as the first rays of sunlight began to peek over the horizon. The sky slowly began to go from black to light pink as morning took over and cast it's early glow over the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Before long, the sun had risen high in the sky, signaling the early afternoon. As it shone, the brilliant sun cast it's light on the campsite of Squad 7, the sun's rays hitting Sakura directly in the face as they shone through a crack in the trunk of the tree Squad 7 was resting under. Wincing at the sudden brightness, Sakura's eyes shot open a moment later, waking her from the nightmare she was having. In her dream, both Naruto and Sasuke had woken up and were congratulating Sakura for taking care of them and watching over them. Suddenly, Shiore had come from out of nowhere and attacked, taking out both boys before they knew what had hit em. Luckily, the sun's rays had woken her up and Sakura was relieved to realize that none of it had been real. The pink haired kunoichi yawned and stretched as she awoke from her sleep, grateful beyond words that she was still alive to see the light of day.

'_It was all just a bad dream, huh?' _Sakura thought to herself as she poured water on a wash cloth that she had pulled out of her weapons pouch. Then, after ringing all of the water out, Sakura gently laid the damp wash cloth over Sasuke's forehead to lower his fever. As Sakura looked over the two unconscious boys, she couldn't help but frown a little. '_I do wish Naruto and Sasuke were awake though.'_

Suddenly, Sakura was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of leaves rustling behind her. Sakura went on the alert instantly and pulled out a kunai from her weapon's pouch, ready for whatever came out. However, Sakura felt like punching herself in the face when, instead of an enemy shinobi, a harmless squirrel came out, chewing on a sunflower seed.

"A squirrel? Oh man, don't surprise me like that little guy." Sakura said, causing the squirrel to look at her curiously and begin running towards her. "Oh no!"

Sakura became horrified as the squirrel began to become to close to the secret trap she had set in case she came into contact with another team. If the squirrel tripped it by accident, then the entire trap would be ruined and it would take too long to rebuild it again. Thinking quickly, Sakura threw her kunai and the embedded itself into the ground right at the squirrel's feet. Frightened, the squirrel turned and ran back into the forest.

'_Phew. That was too close. Any closer and it would've revealed the trap.' _Sakura said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Team Dosu continued to watch from the bushes, and after seeing their plan fail, held in their groans of disappointment. If they had of groaned out loud, it would've given away their position and everything would've been ruined.

"Damn it! I thought for sure that would work." Zaku whispered in disappointment. "Do you think she saw the paper bomb we out on the squirrel's back?"

"No that wasn't it." Dosu answered calmly, masking his disappointment.

"Then what was it?" Zaku asked, turning his head to the side to look at his team's leader. "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking that we need to move in closer to find out. The girl is obviously hiding something important that she doesn't want revealed just yet." Dosu said as he moved some leaves out of his way to get a better look. "With that being said, let's get going."

Zaku and Kin smirked in anticipation. Finally, they would get some action, and this time, there were no restraints. They could finally go wild and relieve the tension that they had built up for this moment.

* * *

It had been a number of hours since Team Guy had split up in search of a "Heaven" scroll. So far, Rock Lee had not made any progress. The green spandex clad youth had been searching all night, but had come up empty handed. He had not run into any other teams and he was starting to become a little discouraged, but he would still keep searching. After all it was only a matter of time before he ran into someone, and that fact is what kept him going as he gracefully lept through the trees without missing a single step. Finally, the energetic youth stopped on a tree branch and got down on one knee. As Lee took a minute to catch his breath, he noticed a number of leaves that floated through the air in front him. Instantly, the youthful felt new determination course through his entire body.

'_Okay, if I can catch all twenty of those leaves before they hit the ground, then Sakura will fall in love with me.' _Rock Lee thought to himself, giving himself a new challenge. _'However, if I cannot, then she will never return my feelings. That is the challenge I am going to give myself! I am still sad that she made fun of my eyebrows, but I mustn't fret! Instead, I will show Sakura that I am worthy!'_

With newfound determination. Rock Lee bounded forward and began to catch the floating leaves one by one while falling towards the ground, picking up more speed as he went along. Lee's hands moved with lightning speed, catching each leaf as raced against time. With each new leaf he caught, Lee's excitement and determination would increase more and more.

'_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight! Yes, I am going to get them all that this rate!' _Lee thought as he reached out and caught the 19th leaf before falling ontop of a tree branch back-first. At first, the pain was so excruciating that Lee could not move, but after seeing the last leaf, Lee's pain seemed to instantly disappear and was instead replaced with adrenaline.

"The last leaf!" Lee exclaimed as he pushed off of the branch with a backflip.

As Rock Lee reached for the last leaf, he became of what sounded like small screeching. Lee forgot about the Leaf and instead focused on finding the source of the small screeches.

"What is that?" Lee thought as he looked around. Finally, Lee found the source of the small, but shrill cries. On the forest floor was a squirrel with a paper bomb attached to its back. The paper bomb was active and was quickly burning away, the fire burning the fur off the squirrel's back as it burned along. Lee landed and scooped the poor rodent up from the ground and immediately removed the paper bomb from the squirrel's back, quickly crushing it in his hand. Any longer, and the paper bomb would've exploded, taking the poor squirrel with it.

"Phew, that was close." Lee said as he held up the squirrel in one hand and the defused paper bomb in the other. "This kind of paper bomb exploded after a certain amount of time. I wonder who would do such an awful thing to this innocent, little squirrel?"

* * *

Like his other teammates, Neji Hyuga had come up empty handed with his search as well. So far, he had not come into contact with any other teams, Honestly, he was starting to become agitated. The Hyuga prodigy had been searching all night and was itching for a fight with anyone foolish to get in his way. In fact, he dared anyone to even look at him funny. As the on edge Hyuga prodigy stepped into a clearing, he became aware of three chakra signatures hiding in the bushes on the edge of the medium sized clearing.

"Alright, stop hiding and come out." Neji ordered, his firm voice echoing throughout the clearing and the surrounding forest.

The shinobi hiding behind the bushes were none other than Squad 10, who been hiding at the clearing ever since the second part of the exams had started. They had managed to ambush a number of teams that had come by, but had not found anyone who had the certain scroll that they needed. After sensing Neji approaching, they instantly hid behind the bushes, hoping that Neji wouldn't notice them. However, it caught them by surprise when he actually did sense them. Normally, after being found out, Squad 10 would go on the offensive immediately, but Neji wasn't the kind of person they wanted to fuck around with, which is why they had planned to just let him go. They'd heard the stories about how strong this kid was and they knew that they didn't stand a chance against him if they fought hand to hand. So, they had decided that they would just let him pass. Now that they had been found out, they had to come up with a new plan, cause there was no way he was going to let them go cause hand to hand combat was definitely out of the picture.

"Shit! How could he have seen us? I mean, we hid as fast as we could." Ino said in a loud whisper.

"What a drag. Now that he's found us out, this is going to be such a pain." Shikamaru whispered back, already wanting to give up in case Neji wanted a fight.

"Calm down, it's no big deal. So our hiding and ambush technique didn't work and we can't face him head on like the other teams, so instead, we use strategy #3." Ino said confidently.

Shikamaru and Choji stared at Ino like she had just grown a second head.

"WHAAAAT! Are you serious Ino?" Choji exclaimed in a loud whisper. This time, Ino had really and truly lost it. There was no way that **that **strategy was going to work on a guy like Neji. Hell, they had a better chance of being hit by a meteor.

"What, you gotta problem with that?" Ino questioned. "Look guys, just trust me on this one. Unless this kid is gay, then this plan can't possibly fail."

Shikamaru thought about it for a minute, then shrugged his shoulders in apathy.

"Well, what've we got to lose?" Shikamaru said

A few minutes later, Squad 10 came out from behind the bushes. Strangely though, they did not seem threatening and seemed to pose no threat. Intrigued, Neji cocked an eyebrow as he watched Squad 10 emerge from their hiding spot and stand before him.

'_This should be interesting.' _Neji thought to himself.

"Oh wow! Imagine running into last year's #1 rookie, Neji Hyuga, all the way out here!" Ino exclaimed in mock exaggeration.

"Can I have your autograph?" Shikamaru asked in a not-so-convincing excited tone.

Whatever hopes Neji had for an interesting fight were crushed as he watched Squad 10's act with a bored look. Neji had heard about these guys, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and he knew that they wouldn't pose an actual threat to someone like him. The group wasn't one for direct combat and he'd heard that they relied on ambushing in order to trap the enemy, not the kind of enemy he was hoping for. Whatever trick they were using was not about to work on him, he was way too above that.

"Oh, it's _you _guys." Neji said in a bored, uninterested tone.

"Yep" Ino replied as she raised her hands to her ponytail. '_Perfect, strategy #3: where you fall head over heels with my beauty.'_

Ino then undid the rubberband that held her hair together, letting her beautiful golden locks from their restraints and allowing them to blow in the wind. This, of course, was Ino's specialty. The blonde haired kunoichi was beautiful and she knew it. If Ino wanted something, all she had to do was flaunt her charm and she could have any man eating out of the palm of her hand, but her body was only the icing on the cake. The main course was Ino's hair. Ino took especially good care of her hair and could often be seen brushing it while back at the Ninja Academy. The blonde locks of hair were so long, that they reached down to Ino's ass and glistened like gold in the sunlight. This feature could attract any guy in the area, and so far, Ino hadn't met a single guy who could resist her...until now, that is.

"I've been wanting to meet you for a really long time Neji." Ino said in a sexy voice as he long blonde hair swayed in the wind seductively. "So, hello handsome. My name is Ino and I want us to be close friends."

However, Neji wasn't actually listening to a word Ino was saying. After thinking it over for a couple of minutes, the Hyuga prodigy had decided that he would look elsewhere. These guys just weren't worth his time, and if this was the best they had, then he wouldn't even have to break a sweat if he decided to attack. Squad 10 would offer no challenge at all, and where was the fun in that? In fact, Neji found it dishonorable to battle opponents such as these.

"Get lost" Neji said, right before Ino could get finished talking and abruptly turned to go in the opposite direction. This action caught Ino and the rest of Squad 10 completely off guard. Nobody had ever been able to resist Ino's beauty, **ever**.

'_WHAT! He's supposed to be bulled over by my beauty! Why didn't that work?' _Ino shouted in her head as a vein popped out above her left eyebrow. '_ARGGGGH! This makes me so mad that I could just hit something!'_

Neji could feel Ino glaring a hole into his back and smirked as he walked. Sure, he wouldn't waste time fighting them, but he would still toy with them just for the hell of it. Also, by using his chakra sensory, he was able to sense Ino's movements and know that she was shaking a fist at him behind his back.

"Did you raise your fist to me?" Neji asked as he stopped walking, keeping his back turned to Squad 10. "Does that mean you want to fight?"

Ino and the rest of Squad visibly tensed up and became nervous. Neji wasn't the kind of guy they wanted to piss off and the last thing they wanted to do was actually fight the guy. If they sent the wrong message, they'd all get their asses handed to them in only a few seconds. Knowing this, Ino quickly thought of something to say.

"No, no way. I mean, of course not." Ino said, throwing her hands up in surrender.

Neji scoffed and turned his head slightly so that he could actually look at them this time.

"Go away. Even if I were to steal a scroll from you cowardly wimps, everybody would just laugh at me for it." Neji said coolly.

"Sounds good to me!" Ino said as she, Shikamaru, and Choji turned and hauled ass back into the bushes, despite Neji insulting them.

"Hmph, they scurry off like cockroaches." Neji said as he turned his head forward again and continued on his way without a single worry. Now if only he could find that blonde haired kid with the Rinnegan, or maybe even the Uchiha, then he would be satisfied. They, he knew, would give him a real challenge.

Meanwhile, Squad 10 was catching their breath behind the bushes after their close call with the Hyuga genius. They had almost gotten themselves into an unwanted fight and they been lucky that Neji didn't consider them a real threat. Otherwise, things could've gotten ugly.

'_I knew it. Someone like him wouldn't take a scroll from people like us. Unless, of course, we turned on him and attacked.' _Shikamaru thought as he caught his breath heavily.

"Okay! Let's see if we can find some actual weaklings!" Ino shouted abruptly, laughing nervously as she tied her hair back up and catching the attention of Shikamaru and Choji.

"Oh please, we're not going to find anyone as weak as us. Hell, the only reason we've made it this far is because we managed catch the enemy by surprise, up until now." Shikamaru pointed out in a bored tone.

However, Ino just kept laughing nervously and didn't seem to hear Shikamaru at all.

* * *

Elsewhere in the forest, Sakura could barely keep her eye's open as she stood watch over Naruto and Sasuke. All throughout the night, Sakura had barely slept, and when she did finally sleep, she'd had the nightmare. Other than that, she's hadn't slept much at all. Now, her sleepless night was starting to bite her in the ass. No matter how hard she tried to stay awake, Sakura kept nodding off and waking back up again. Pretty soon, she actually would fall asleep and leave both herself and her teammates vulnerable. However, Sakura was thrown wide awake when a voice echoed out from behind the bushes.

"Some lookout." the deep voice said. "Your already half asleep."

Alarmed and now wide awake, Sakura whipped around and saw Team Dosu standing outside and watching her. Dosu himself and Kin stood mon the ground while Zaku sat ontop of a rock with his arms crossed, a cocky expression on his face.

'_Their the same ones that attacked Kabuto back at room 301! These also must be the guys Orochimaru told us about!' _Sakura realized as she gaped at the enemy.

"At least you don't have to keep watch anymore. What's the point after we've already found you?" Dosu said arrogantly. "Now wake Sasuke up. We want to fight him. While you're at it, wake up the one with the Rinnegan. We want to fight him as well."

_You'll never get them you assholes. Not while I'm still around.' _Sakura thought as she slowly reached for her weapons pouch.

"Before you we have this out, I want to know something. Why are you really here? I know Orochimaru is calling the shots from behind the scenes." Sakura announced, catching Team Dosu off guard. They each gaped at Sakura with open mouth shock. How did this brat know about Orochimaru? This entire operation was supposed to be one big secret. "Also, what's that strange bruise on the back of Sasuke's neck. I bet you're behind that too, aren't you? And Now you wanna fight him when he can't even defend himself."

Team Dosu continued to gape at Sakura as though she had did a magic trick. If this brat knew about Orochimaru, then how much else did she know? Now that she this much, she'd have to be killed. The information she had could jeopardize their entire plan.

"What in the world could **he **thinking?" Dosu asked incredulously.

Zaku got over his shock the fastest, and instead, his look of shock was replaced with a smirk instead.

"I can't stay quite after hearing you talk to us like that." Zaku said. "First, I'm going to kill this girl, then I'm going to kill Sasuke. For an added treat, I'll kill the Rinnegan Master too. I still have a bone to pick with him anyway."

Zaku stood up and was about proceed forward when Dosu stopped him.

"Wait Zaku." Dosu warned.

"What, why?" Zaku replied angrily. He was starting to get tired of this. It was time to end this now and get it over with. Enough with waiting around. Dosu did not answer him and instead walked forward until he stopped directly at the kunai that Sakura had thrown at that squirrel earlier.

"It's so obvious now. This is the color of dirt that has been recently dug up and this type of grass doesn't grow in a place like this." Dosu said as he bent down and grabbed a tuft of the fake grass, causing Sakura to tense now that he trap had been found out. "Laying a trap is pointless unless you make sure that it is actually hidden."

Zaku and Kin began to snicker at first, but then burst out laughing.

"Man, you're a joke! You threw that kunai knife at that squirrel so that it wouldn't reveal the trap, didn't you." Zaku said as he got finished laughing. Honestly, these rookies were such amateurs. They had no business taking these exams in the first place if this was all they could do.

"Now...we kill her" Dosu said, cocking his head to the side.

Without needing to be told twice, Team Dosu charged forward with a burst of speed. Finally, they would at least get to kill **somebody.** Strangely, as Team Dosu drew closer, Sakura did not run. Instead, she pulled out another kunai and cut the tripwire that was beside her, held down by another kunai. Team Dosu looked up in shock as a thick, huge ass log fell from the forest canopy above.

"A log!" Zaku shouted out in alarm.

'_She also made a trap above! It seems this girl isn't as much of an amateur as she seems.' _Dosu thought to himself. "Everyone watch out!"

As the log came closer, Dosu raised his right arm, the arm on which a strange device with holes was attached, and press his hand against the log while making a hand seal with his other hand.

"Sorry, little girl." Dosu said as he focused his chakra. Dosu's chakra surged throughout the log in huge, powerful waves, breaking the log in half harmlessly before it could actually hit anyone, allowing Team Dosu to continue to fly through the air towards their target.

"Clearly, you have no talent as a ninja." Dosu said as he and his team flew towards Sakura. "Someone like you needs to make more of an effort, don't you think?"

Fear paralyzed Sakura where she stood. Now matter how badly she wanted to run away, her body would not cooperate. She had failed and she knew it. She'd not only let Naruto and Sasuke down, but she'd also let herself down, for she had failed to protect both herself and her comrades. As her death drew ever closer, the tears began to well up in Sakura's eyes and all she could do was stand there helplessly when suddenly...

"Leaf Hurricane!" a familiar voice called out.

From out of nowhere, Leaf jumped into the air and intercepted Team Dosu before they could reach Sakura, sending them sprawling back by landing a single hard kick to each of their chests. As the members of Team Dosu flew back, they managed to regain themselves and land on their feet, giving Rock Lee surprised glares as they skidded back before stopping.

'_What's he doing?' _Sakura thought as Rock Lee landed in front of her, the squirrel from earlier perched on his shoulder. Rock Lee was a member of another enemy team, so why was he way out here and helping her. A few minutes before this part of the exams had started, Sakura had seen Team Guy at a gate that was way on the other side of the compound as she had followed Naruto and Sasuke to their own gate. So what were the odds of running into Lee all the way out here?

As Sakura stared up at Lee's back, she could feel the confidence radiating off of him. Of course, Sakura had questions, but she would ask them later. Right now, these Sound ninja needed to be dealt with.

"Looks like you also need to make more of an effort." Lee said confidently as he took a casual fighting stance.

Dosu looked Lee up and down in disgust, as though he didn't like Lee's appearance.

"Who _are _you?" Dosu asked.

"I am the handsome devil of the Leaf Village, and my name is Rock Lee." Lee said as he introduced himself.

Finally, curiosity killed the cat, and Sakura simply had to ask.

"Not that I don't appreciate you coming to my defense, but what are you doing out here Lee?" Sakura asked.

"I will always appear, anywhere and anytime that you are in danger, Sakura." Rock Lee replied as he scratched the squirrel perched on his shoulder under the chin before gently setting it down on the ground.

"It is all thanks to you, little one. Now it is time for you to run along." Rock Lee said as he watched the squirrel scamper off.

Team Dosu stood by and waited to see what Lee would do next. The boy appeared from out of nowhere and Team Dosu wanted to check him out before attacking, just to make sure he didn't have any hidden surprises.

"Wait a minute. I don't understand Lee. You're on a different team, so why are you here helping me?" Sakura asked from her spot on the ground.

"I already told you Sakura. I promised that I would protect you with my life." Lee said as he faced Team Dosu.

Thinking back, Sakura instantly remembered Rock Lee's words back at the Ninja Academy when he'd asked her out. She had turned him down coldly, and now she was starting to feel guilty. This boy had still come to save her even though she'd rejected him. She owed this boy one and she'd repay that debt somehow.

"Yes, thank you...Rock Lee" Sakura said, feeling sincerely grateful.

'_Yes! She said yes Gai-sensei! She really said yes!' _Rock Lee silently cheered in his head. The girl of his dreams was finally starting to respect him and Lee wasn't about to blow it this time.

After studying this new character carefully, Dosu pulled out his team's "Earth" scroll. This boy seemed non-threatening, but he had moved with speed almost equal to that of the Rinnegan Master. In fact, Dosu didn't notice the boy until it had been too late. With that being said, Dosu decided that he would take on this boy since he was the strongest of Team Dosu. Regardless of how he looked, this boy could become a serious pain in the ass if he wasn't dealt with right away, and Dosu didn't want to take any chances. He'd deal with this himself.

"It looks like I have no choice. Zaku, I'll let you have Sasuke and the Rinnegan Master." Dosu said as he tossed his team's "Earth" scroll to Zaku, who easily caught it. "I'll take care of these two myself."

Instinctively, Rock Lee braced himself for any oncoming attack and took a quick glance at Sakura. The pink haired kunoichi was covered in scratches and cuts, possibly from a previous battle and she's wasn't quite herself at the moment.

'_It doesn't look like Sakura is any condition to fight right now. I shall defend her with my very soul until she can regain her composure.' _Rock Lee thought to himself as he glanced back ahaead at Dosu, who was about to attack.

"The kid with the bushy eyebrows is pretty good with taijutsu." Dosu said as he rolled up his right sleeve, revealing that strange device again. "Looks like I get to have some fun!"

Dosu charged forward at full speed in mid sentence, momentarily catching Sakura off guard with the burst of speed. Wanting to help Lee in some way, Sakura was able to regain herself and threw a kunai at the charging Sound ninja, causing him to jump up in the air while running forward to avoid being impaled. As he drew closer, Rock Lee thrusted his hand into the ground and pulled up a thick tree root, using it as a shield as Dosu reached him and Sakura. Dosu pressed his hand against the thick root and surged his chakra into it like he did the log. The resulting force, pushed Dosu back as well as destroying a big chunk of the thick tree root.

"There must be some kind of trick to your attack." Lee said as pieces and chips of wood flew through the air. "Therefore, I will not wist my time trying to dodge it! After all, I have seen your jutsu before when you attacked Kabuto."

'_Of course, having said that, my odds still are not good since it is still 3 against 1. In that case, I will have to take a chance.' _Rock Lee thought as he eye'd his 3 opponents one by one. '_One at a time. I shall attack them one at a time with all of my might if I am to win this battle!'_

_

* * *

_

Elsewhere in the forest, Squad 10's luck had run out. Ever since their encounter with Neji Hyuga 20 minutes ago, no other teams had come through thee clearing that Squad 10 as using for their ambush strategy. Exasperated, Squad had given up on waiting and decided that they would have to actually go looking for teams, rather than have the teams come to them. Now, Squad 10 was standing out in the open trying to think of different ways to ambush teams besides just lying in wait, or rather Shikamaru and Ino were out in the open. Choji was up in one of the tree's above, eating the apples that it produced. Putting their heads together, Shikamaru and Ino tried to think of as many weak teams as they could. However, Squad 10 had ambushed them all already, so now that only left the stronger teams that Squad 10 weren't enthusiastic about facing. However, if they were to pass, they'd have to fight a strong team whether they liked it or not. Taking the easy way out wasn't working anymore, and after 15 minutes, both Ino and Shikamaru gave up. There were simply no weaker teams left.

"Oh man! There doesn't seem to be anymore teams that are weaker than us!" Ino exclaimed in frustration.

As Ino complained, Shikamaru went through the possible teams they could face and only one team came to mind. Shikamaru didn't wanna have to fight them, but it was the lesser of two evils and Squad 10 had to take what they could get.

"Not so fast. I've given it some thought, and this may sound crazy, but I think we should go after Naruto's team." Shikamaru suggested, earning him a flabbergasted look from Ino.

"What? Hell no! Naruto has that Rinnegan thing, no telling what Sakura can do, and Sasuke is just...awesome!" Ino exclaimed. After that display back at room 301, how could Shikamaru even think of fighting Naruto of all people?

"Whatever. It beats going against Kiba's team, as unpredictable as they are. Therefore, Naruto's team is the next best thing. They may not be weaker than us, but we might have a chance of winning, if we can find a way past Naruto's Rinnegan that is." Shikamaru said. "Besides, maybe your precious Sasuke is better in theory than in practice. I mean, we haven't exactly seen what the boy can do, let alone Sakura."

Ino, however, only gave Shikamaru an annoyed look, causing Shikamaru to sweat drop. The lazy genius hated when Ino gave him that glare. It felt as if she was cooking him alive. In fact, it made Shikamaru feel kind of small, even though he was a foot taller than Ino. Finally, Shikamaru couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright, alright! I apologize if I upset you." Shikamaru said, throwing his hands up in defense. '_What a drag. I say one negative thing about either Sasuke **or** Naruto, and I get the evil eye from their #1 fan here. I really hate these situations.'_

"Listen, forget about taking on Naruto's team because there is no way either Sasuke or Naruto could lose a battle!" Ino said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sakura, on the other hand, is a different matter. I bet she hasn't learned not one decent jutsu since she left to train with Lady Tsunade."

Meanwhile, above on his perch, Choji was happily munching on his apples when something in the distance caught his eye. At first, Choji thought he was seeing things, but after closing his eyes and reopening them, he was assured that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Hey, you guys, Sasuke has collapsed and Sakura is fighting with some kid dressed in green spandex!" Choji yelled down to his teammates. (That got their attention.)

"What did you say?" Ino asked as she and Shikamaru jumped up to Choji's perch with their chakra.

Looking out in the distance, not so far away, the battle between Rock Lee and Team Dosu could be seen. Sure enough, both Naruto and Sasuke were out cold and some boy with a bowl haircut was defending Sakura from a team of Sound shinobi. As Ino watched in disbelief, she subconsciously let out a loud gasp. On second thought, maybe they would pay Naruto's team a little visit.

* * *

Meanwhile, the battle between Dosu and Rock Lee had taken a momentary stalemate. So far, neither warrior had been able to best the other and Lee was beginning to become desperate. Dosu had managed to either block or evade all of the attacks Lee had thrown, and as a last resort, Lee was now forced to use a jutsu that Guy-sensei had warned Lee about using. He was to only use it to protect someone he truly cared about as a last resort and that time was now. With no no other option, Lee was forced to use_ **that **_jutsu.

'_Guy sensei, I have to use the Lotus now. The condition you told me about has been met. I must use **that **jutsu!' _Lee thought to himself as he began to undo the bandages around his arms. Lee knew the dangers of this technique, but he would have to use it anyway if he was to win here. Honestly though, he had hoped it wouldn't come to this.

Not wanting to wait around and see what Lee was planning next, Dosu charged forward full speed, intent on stopping Lee before his jutsu could be completed. However, Lee was faster. Making a hand seal, Lee vanished into thin air, catching Dosu off guard and causing him to skid to a stop.

"What? He disappeared!" Dosu said, surprised.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Lee reappeared right under Dosu's chin and launched the Sound ninja up into the air with a single powerful kick, nearly breaking Dosu's jaw in the process. Pushing off with his right hand, Lee launched himself into the air as well, right behind Dosu.

"I'm not done yet!" Rock Lee said as the bandages around his arms came undone and wrapped themselves around Dosu's body, pinning the Sound ninja's arms and hands to his sides tightly. After locking his arms around Dosu to secure his enemy in place, Rock Lee did a flip in the air so that both he and Dosu were now falling back to the ground while upside down and going at high speeds. At this speed, Dosu's neck would shatter upon impact, which would effectively kill him. Seeing all of this greatly alarmed Zaku, who was watching from the sidelines.

"This isn't good. In that position , there's no way Dosu can break his fall." Zaku said as he went through a series of hand seals. "If don't do something fast, Dosu will have his neck shattered beyond repair!"

"Take this! Primary Lotus!" Rock Lee shouted as he and Dosu began to spin in the air while falling upside down.

"Not quite brat!" Zaku said as he plunged his hands under the soft dirt. Acting quickly, Zaku sent a wave of pressurized air underground that traveled to the spot where Dosu and Lee were about to land. The pressurized vibrations loosened the ground underneath, creating a cushion as Rock Lee slammed Dosu head first into the ground while letting go and jumping away at the last moment. Now, only Dosu's lower body was above ground. Luckily, since the vibrations from the pressurized air loosened the soil, no harm was done. Which, of course, frustrated Lee.

"Phew. Gotcha just in time. You owe me for this one Dosu." Zaku said with a smirk. "That impact could've been much worse for you."

With a groan, Dosu pulled himself up out of the ground and shook his head in order to clear away all the dirt that had stuck to his hair and face.

"That was a frightening jutsu." Dosu said as he dusted his clothes off. "Had it not been for this soft dirt, that would've taken me out without a doubt."

Gritting his teeth, Rock Lee slowly rose up from his position mon the ground. His entire body was aching and pain shot from every muscle. That jutsu pushed the body past it's limits, which is why the Lotus is labeled as a forbidden Jutsu and why Guy sensei said to only use it a last resort. Now Lee, was putting pay to those thoughts. The Lotus had failed and now he could barely move without having pain shoot throughout his body. Things had now taken a turn for the worst and Lee could feel the tide of the battle shift to his opponent's favor.

"Now, I believe it's my turn." Dosu said as he pulled back his sleeve, revealing that strange device again.

Without wasting another breath, Dosu charged forward and swiped his arm right across Lee's face. Luckily, through a lot of effort, Lee managed to move back and seemingly dodge the blow. However, a weird sensation shot throughout Lee's body for a split second before that weird feeling was replaced by mind-numbing pain and nausea. Lee's vision became distorted and Dosu's body seemed to bulge in and out rhythmically , as though Lee was looking at him from underwater.

"Your jutsu is indeed fast. But ours is even faster because it travels at the speed of sound." Dosu said, his voice sounding distorted also.

Try as he might, Rock Lee could not completely focus on the enemy in front of him. The nausea and pain became too great, and Lee was forced to drop to one knee to keep himself from falling over. By now, he was starting to become lightheaded.

"Effort by itself does nothing." Dosu said arrogantly "Now watch, were going to show you something even better that I'm sure you're going to enjoy."

However, Rock Lee was barely listening. Watching Dosu's distorted body weave in and out was only making Lee sicker and sicker by the second. Finally, the nauseous feeling became too great and Lee vomited right then and there before dry heaving uncontrollably.

"Lee! Are you alright?" Sakura asked in alarm. '_This is the exact same thing that happened to Kabuto back at the Ninja Academy. What the hell is going on here?'_

Sakura's alarm increased 2x when a thin line of blood trickled down from Lee's left ear. Again, pain shot throughout Lee's body, rendering him unable to move for a few seconds.

'_M-My...ear' _Lee said as he managed to bring a hand up to his damaged ear, although with difficulty.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this little gadget I wear." Dosu said as he raised his arm in the air, revealing the strange device. "You might be able to dodge my blows, but you can't get away from **"it"**."

"What...do...you mean?" Rock Lee asked, struggling to get the words out.

"Since you're going to die anyway, I guess I can tell you." Dosu said with a sigh. "You see, I don't need to hit you directly with my fists. Instead, I can hit you with the power of sound!"

"If you can't understand what I mean, then look at it this way: what makes it possible for the ear to hear things? In other words, what is sound?"

"Vibrations in the air." Sakura answered after a moment's hesitation. What did he mean he could hit with the power of sound?

"Give the little lady a prize." Dosu said sarcastically. "Yes, the vibrations of molecules in the air creates a soundwave. These vibrations are collected by collected by the ear and then directed through the outer ear canal to you ear drum. What interests me, however, are the organs of your **inner** ear. The ones that control you sense of balance, you ability to move."

As Dosu finished talking, he noticed that Rock Lee was trying to stand but then quickly sat back down again while holding his damaged ear. Seeing this, Dosu smirked underneath the bandages covering almost his entire face. This was too easy.

"You see buddy, that normal taijutsu stiff won't work against us." Zaku said confidently as he pulled his hands from underground. "Not that you're not pretty good at it, but what's the point? Compared to our jutsu, that stuff is totally yesterday's news."

"You see, I can manipulate ultrasonic waves of air pressure. In fact, I can do things you've never even dreamed of! I can obliterate boulders or even make the ground itself as soft as a feather cushion. Face it little man, you're up against the jutsu of the future."

As Rock Lee stared at his three opponents, he couldn't help but feel frustrated. He'd come to save Sakura, but now, he was the one that needed saving. In all of his life, Lee had never feel like more of a failure. He'd let down his team, Guy-sensei, and now the girl of his dreams. He was like a cornered rat and he had to find some way out of this situation. The question was: how?

"Alright, little girl! Now you get yours!" Dosu said as he charged forward with a burst of speed, going right past Lee and bringing the youthful boy from his thoughts.

"No! Sakura!" Rock Lee said as he fought through the pain and got to his feet. He had to do something and fast, otherwise Sakura would suffer as well. He'd already let his team and sensei down, but there was still a small chance to at least save the one he cared for the most.

Lee ran as fast as he possible could, despite the pain coursing through his body. Fortunately, Lee was able to catch up to a surprised Dosu just before the Sound ninja could reach his beloved Sakura, maneuvering to stand in between the two. Thinking quickly, Lee used the only technique he could think of in this last minute situation.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Lee said as he got ready to land a sweeping kick to Dosu's feet. However, Lee still had not fully recovered from the Primary Lotus technique, and pain went shooting through his entire even worse than before, stunning Lee's entire body.

"Heh, not quite as effective as it was before, eh?" Dosu said as stopped to push Lee's leg out of the way before charging forward. "Still, it's impressive that you can even move at all! I guess we'll have to do something about that!"

Lee moved his arm up just in time to block Dosu's right hook. However, Dosu only smirked as the device on his arm began to emit a series of high pitched sonic clicks. This was going so perfectly. Soon, it would be all over for these two amateurs.

"You hear that sound? This device amplifies the sound vibrations from the impact. Thereby transforming them into a wave of sound!" Dosu explained excitedly. "The best part is that I can channel the created soundwave with my chakra, focusing on any target of my desire!"

Pain like none other coursed through Lee's body as the sound wave slipped through the cracks of his defense and entered his damaged ear, causing more damage to the appendage than was already down.

"No! Stop it!" Sakura hollered as she as watched in horror as Lee fell to the ground and didn't move.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. First, she'd let Naruto and Sasuke down and now Lee was about to pay for **her **mistake. It wasn't fair. Throughout this entire exam, Sakura knew that she'd barely done anything to help her friends. Naruto and Sasuke had put their lives on the line during that fight with Shiore and Sakura had only stood by and barely offered any support. Now, she was tasked with watching over them and she'd even failed at that. And now, this boy whom she had rejected so coldly had come to her rescue and now he was about to die. And for what? For he own failure. No! It wasn't too late to redeem herself. Sakura knew that now. There was still one more chance to turn things around and Sakura about to let it slip away, not again. With newfound determination and anger, Sakura proudly rose to her feet. Enough running away. Enough hiding and being helpless! She was trained by Tsunade of the legendary Sannin damn it and all that training was not about to go to waste!

"Now, little man, time to end it." Dosu said as he raised his fist, about to deliver the killing blow.

"That's what you think!" Sakura said as she threw a handful of kunai at Dosu, who easily deflected the incoming projectiles. Of course, Sakura had known he'd do that, but she'd had to get his attention somehow.

"Ah yes. I'd almost forgotten about you." Dosu said sadistically. This little girl just didn't know when to quit. She should've just stayed down, and maybe, he'd have let her go. After all, she was a only a little girl, and a rookie at that. What could she possibly do to him?

Meanwhile, Squad 10 watched the entire scene unfold from the bushes near the action. After seeing Rock squaring off against Team Dosu, Squad had rushed right over to see what wsa going on. And they had arrived just in time to see Dosu take Lee down with some weird technique involving soundwaves and the anatomy of the ear.

"Man, these guys are scary." Choji said nervously, hoping they wouldn't be spotted despite being close to the action. "If it's okay with you guys, I vote for getting out of here while we still can."

"Looks like Sasuke and Naruto are out of it. And Lee's not looking too good either." Shikamaru pointed out. "It's just Sakura all alone against the three of those guys. Well, Ino, what do you wanna do?"

"Why are you asking me? I don't know what to do." Ino replied in a nervous whisper.

"Well if we don't do something soon, she's toast. Are you cool with that?" Shikamaru argued in a heated tone, causing Ino to flinch. It wasn't often when Shikamaru used that tone with her, but he always had a good reason to and now was no exception. "Ino look, I know how you really feel about Sakura, even though you try and hide it. So what if Sakura doesn't see you in **that **light. So what if she broke off your friendship because you both liked Sasuke, the last we can do is help her out."

After thinking it over, Ino let out a sigh. She hated when Shikamaru was right, and right now, he'd hit the nail right on the head. Yes, it was true: Ino had a crush on Sakura. Ever since they had first met as kids, Ino had felt an instant reaction to Sakura. Whenever the chance would present itself, Ino found herself spending more and more time with the girl, even going over to her house for sleepovers. Ino couldn't explain the feeling back then, but whenever she was around Sakura, she felt calm, and for lack of better word, happy. The two became practically inseparable. Wherever one went, the other followed. Some of the villagers even confused the two for sisters, even though one had pink hair and another had blonde hair. It was Sakura who had first given Ino her first kiss. It was a harmless little peck on the cheek, but Ino had felt that undeniable spark and she knew that she was in love with the girl. However, their friendship came to an abrupt end, shortly after they started going to the Ninja Academy. Ino had just gotten ready to tell Sakura how she felt, when Sakura ended their friendship because they both liked Sasuke. After that, Sakura turned her back on Ino and walked away, shattering Ino's heart to pieces and creating an emotional wound that never healed.

Since then, the two had been rivals and had competed over Sasuke's affections. Both forgot about their friendship entirely and one would think that the two girls had been fighting each other their entire lives. In fact, Ino and Sakura had gotten into a number of physical fights with each other while back at the Ninja Academy, leaving both girls with scars. And even though Ino won't admit, a _**small**_ part of her still cared about Sakura, but Ino hide that part of herself. It hurt less that way. Somehow though, Shikamaru knew. He'd kept out of it, since it wasn't his business and he feels that women are a drag, but he wasn't about to let Ino sit by what her secret crush get killed. Otherwise, it'd be on his conscience and dealing with his conscience would be a real pain. As for Choji...well...he just didn't care all that much. Anyway, as she focused on Shikamaru's words, Ino's mind began to drift back to **that **day. Quickly, Ino shook her head and cleared those thoughts away.

'_Get a grip Ino. That's all ancient history anyway.' _Ino thought to herself. Ino was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even hear Shikamaru called her until he gently shook her.

"Hey, Ino!" Shikamaru said as he gently shook Ino out of her thoughts. Finally, she turned slightly to look at him. "So...what do you wanna do?"

"Why do you keep asking me that? What the hell am I **supposed **to do?" Ino replied heatedly in a loud whisper. "Do you want me to go out there and get myself killed?"

Shikamaru only gave her an annoyed look that said "_Stop fucking around. You know you wanna help the girl, so put the past behind you and just do it. So what if she deserves it."_

'_I don't care if he gives me that look. That's exactly what would happen. I'd just find myself in the same predicament as she is.' _Ino thought to herself as he knees began to tremble. '_I mean, what good would that do anybody_?'

Again, Ino was brought out of her thoughts, this time by movement from Sakura.

"Try and dodge these!" Sakura said as he pulled out a handful of shuriken and hurled them at Dosu. However, moving with blazing speed, Zaku moved in the way and deflected the shurikens by shooting a wall of air of his palms, smirking as he did so.

'_Kunai and shurikens won't work on these guys. The one that uses pressurized air will just deflect them all.' _Sakura thought to herself.

Suddenly, Sakura was forced to her knees when Kin moved behind her with speed even faster than that of Zaku's and grabbed a handful of Sakura's pink hair. Sakura struggled, but could nit free herself from Kin's grasp.

"My my, what soft and shiny hair you have. But you know what? If you spent a little less time shampooing and a little more time practicing your jutsu, you might not be in this predicament you sorry little bitch." Kin said as she roughly jerked Sakura's head from side to side. "Hey Zaku, I know what would be fun. Let's make "Miss Beauty Queen" watch while you finish off that Sasuke guy and the kid with the Rinnegan."

"Why not? Sounds like fun to me." Zaku said after pretending to think it over.

'_NO! YOU WON'T LAY A HAND ON THEM!' _Sakura thought as the anger in her veins became a full blown, raging inferno. Through sheer determination, Sasuke began to rise to her feet, despite Kin trying to push her back down.

"Oh please. Don't even try it." Kin said as she shoved Sakura back down on the ground.

However, Kin was caught completely off guard when Sakura shot back up with a burst of strength, causing Kin to stumble back and let go of Sakura's hair. Using her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura slammed her elbow right in the middle of Kin's chest, sending the female Sound ninja shooting back and slamming into a tree behind her, the force of the impact shattering the tree to splinters.

"Who's the bitch now, bitch!" Sakura said with fury, the intent kill heavy in the air. Both Dosu and Zaku gaped at Sakura in shock, subconsciously taking a few steps back.

'_WHAT THE HELL? How did she just do that?' _Zaku screamed in his head

'_Such Herculean Strength! It's like this girl is a different person altogether! We've awakened a monster!' _Dosu said to himself. Suddenly, he wasn't so confident as he was before. Neither was Zaku for that matter. The intent to kill was so heavy in Sakura's eyes that neither Dosu nor Zaku could keep eye contact with her for more than a few seconds.

"You bastards...**ARE GOING TO BURN IN HELL!**" Sakura screamed as she charged forward and leaped into the air while raising her leg straight up in the air.

"FUCK! Dosu, look out!" Zaku yelled.

Both Zaku and Dosu managed to jump out of the way just as Sakura brought her heel down, releasing the pent up chakra and creating a **massive** crater. All around them, the ground cracked and broke apart in large chunks as they were ripped apart by the chakra. The shockwave pushed Zaku and Dosu back even further and created a strong gust of wind that uprooted a few trees and bushes and kicked up clouds of dust.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD?" Choji said as he shielded himself from the dust clouds that were being blown by the wind. Ino and Shikamaru were shocked beyond words. Maybe Sakura wouldn't need help after all.

'_This is insane! How did Sakura learn to do THAT!' _Ino screamed in her head.

'_So this is what she can do!' _Shikamaru thought to himself as he fought against the gust of wind that threatened to blow him over.

When the dust finally cleared, the massive, nearly formed crater could be seen in plane view. It swallowed up half of the entire clearing! Luckily, it stopped just beyond the tree where Naruto and Sasuke were, so they were unharmed. Lee had also managed to crawl (with great difficulty) under the tree as well when Sakura sent Kin flying, so he was unharmed also.

"JESUS CHRIST!" Zaku said as he took a look at the crater that Sakura was standing in the middle of. She looked up at him and gave an intense glare, causing him to gulp and flinch visibly. However, he forced himself to shake it off. He couldn't let her get in his head.

Going through a quick number of hand seals, Sakura pulled out a handful of kunai and charge forward.

'_I know those hand seals. She's using a clone jutsu.' _Zaku said as he took a deep breath and went through a series of hand seals himself before blowing out a wall of air with his palms, deflecting the kunai as Sakura threw them all at once. Sakura kept throwing kunai as she ran forward until she was caught by one of Zaku's walls of pressurized air.

"Got her." Zaku said in triumph. However, Sakura disappeared in a puff of smoke and was instead replaced by a log, meaning that it had been a clone. Zaku then noticed the real Sakura running at him from the side while going through the same set of hand seals.

"You're trying that again? Oh please." Zaku said as he blasted more air out of his palm, hitting Sakura dead on again. Once again, however, Sakura disappeared in a puff of smoke and was replaced with a log, another clone. Suddenly, Zaku noticed a shadow block out the sun and looked up just in time to see Sakura coming down with her fist drawn.

"You wanna keep playing this? Well I've got news for ya: I ain't falling for it." Zaku said as he pulled out a handful of kunai and threw them at the Sakura clone. "Now then, where will you appear next?"

Zaku's attention was brought back above him when a drop of blood dropped right past his eye. As Zaku looked up, his eyes widened in shock.

'_That...the real one!' _Zaku realized.

"Damn it Zaku! Move out of the way!" Dosu said as he shoved Zaku out of the way, only to get nailed himself as Sakura came down and slammed her fist into Zaku's chest right where his heart was, the force of the impact cratering Dosu into the ground. The bandages that covered his mouth turned red as Dosu coughed up blood. The force from that blow had almost stopped his heart and he now found it very hard to draw in a breath. It felt as though he were suffocating. Dosu grabbed his chest in agony as he coughed up more blood through his bandages.

"That's for what you did to Lee you son of a bitch!" Sakura said as she cracked her knuckles. "Only one more left."

"Alright then! If I'm going down, I'm down with honor!" Zaku said as he held his ground. "Bring it bitch!"

With a cry of rage, Sakura charged forward and tackled Zaku to the ground. Immediately, the two began exchanging blows, rolling on the dirt, and just straight up beating the living hell out of each other. Sakura rolled ontop of Zaku and started **pounding** him in the face with both hands, alternating between fists. Each time, Zaku's head would hit the ground with more force than the last.

"I hope you fucking die!" Sakura said as she threw another hard left hook.

"Yeah, well I'm taking you with me!" Zaku said as he caught Sakura's right fist and attempted to roll over so that he could be ontop. However, Sakura held her ground, and with her last bit of energy, she leaned down and sank her teeth into Zaku's arm, causing him to howl in pain. Sakura bit down as hard as she could, drawing blood and holding on for dear life.

"OW! God dammit, let me the fuck go you crazy bitch!" Zaku screamed as he pounded Sakura upside her head with his fist as hard as he could. However, that only succeeded in making Sakura bite down even harder all the way to the bone. "Motherfucker, let go! Stop fucking biting me!"

By now, Sakura was bleeding from her mouth, from her nose, and there were bruises all over her body and face. She had a black eye, which was now slightly swollen, her left eye was bleeding, and her entire body was wracked with pain. Even through all that, Sakura still held on, determined to win. She would continue to bite down until she breathed her last breath, no matter how hard Zaku hit her.

Meanwhile, Ino watched with the rest of Squad 10 as Zaku continued to pound Sakura as hard he possibly could. For Ino, it was the most painful thing in the world. The girl of her dreams was being pounded on, and now, Ino had a choice to make: Help Sakura and let the past go or Let Sakura suffer for breaking her (Ino's) heart.

"Sakura" Ino said quietly as the tears began to well up.

Finally, after another hard hit, Zaku was able to knock Sakura away. Getting to his feet, Zaku grabbed Sakura by the hair and lifted he up to his smirking face.

"Tell you what, apologize and I'll let this slide." Zaku said, giving her one last chance.

"Go to Hell!" Sakura said before spitting in Zaku's face.

Enraged, Zaku punched Sakura in the stomach and landed another hard punch to the face, sending her skidding across the ground and coughing up a little blood.

"Damn it Ino! Make a goddamn choice! What do we do?" Shikamaru demanded. _"_I can understand that you're still upset that she broke your heart, but Jesus, how much more blood do you want?"

Ino didn't answer and instead watched as Zaku walked towards Sakura after wiping her spit from his face. Sakura got to her knees and glared at Zaku as he came closer. She'd never give in, even if all she could do was glare.

"That was you last chance." Zaku said as he went through a series of hand seals. "Now die bitch!"

Realizing that she was watching Sakura's final moments, Ino finally made a decision.

"Squad 10...let's move!" Ino hollered.

In a fraction of a second, Squad 10 moved in the way between Sakura and Zaku. Wasting no time, Choji enlarged his fist with his clan's Expansion Jutsu and sent Zaku sprawling into a tree with a cinderblock-sized fist. Surprised beyond words, Sakura stared up at Squad 10.

"Ino?" Sakura said questioningly. '_What is **she **doing here?'_

"Don't be so surprised Billboard Brow. I told you I wouldn't let you show me up." Ino said arrogantly.

Moments later, Zaku emerged from the wreckage of what used to be a tree. As he emerged, he glared at Squad 10 and smirked. More for the slaughter eh? Fine, he'd send them all to the next dimension, one after the other.

**Alright everyone, that concludes this chapter for now. Yes, I know it was almost exactly like the anime, but I added my own little twists to it. Ino and Sakura are now candidates to be a couple and you'll just have to wait and see what happens between, although that's much later on in the story. To be more specific, their possible relationship will be brought back up after the preliminaries, so stay tuned for that later. Also, Squad 10 goes against Team Dosu and Naruto and Sasuke finally wake up. How will this turn out? Stay tuned and find out in the next chapter. Also, I deeply apologize for the long wait. Exams have started at my school and I've been having to study like crazy! I had better pass too!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, then Naruto Part 1 would be a whole lot different.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 29**

Normally, Ino Yamanaka was a headstrong girl who always had a hotheaded attitude toward everything. It was a rare event when she was ever nervous about something, and if she ever was nervous, she did a great job of hiding it. In fact Ino could count the number of times she'd been nervous on one hand. First, she'd been nervous about going to the Ninja Academy for the first time. Then she'd been nervous about going on her first mission a few weeks after meeting Asuma and the rest of Squad 10. And she'd been especially nervous about confessing her love to Sakura on that fateful day. However, none of that compared to how nervous she felt now. As she watched Zaku walk toward her and her team, it took all of her self control to prevent her knees from shaking. This guy had managed to withstand Sakura's fury, even though his team had now been incapacitated. However, Ino managed to calm herself down when she took notice of the fact that it was 3 against 1. That fact helped to calm her down a little so that she didn't visibly tremble as much.

However, a few moments after pointing out the difference in numbers, Kin emerged from the rubble of the destroyed tree that Sakura had launched her into. Honestly though, Kin should've just stayed in there. The female Sound ninja's clothes were torn all over the place with large tears, exposing part of her pink lacy bra underneath. Numerous deep cuts and scratches covered her body and dripped as they oozed large drops of fresh blood. Kin's hair had become as disheveled as Sakura's and she sported a slightly blackened eye as she panted after freeing herself from the wreckage. Blood dripped from her nose and from the corners of her mouth as she fixed her gaze on Sakura and scowled.

"You're going to regret ever doing that." Kin said in a low, threatening voice as she clenched her fist. She'd almost died a few moments ago and she wasn't about to let Sakura get away with it. Otherwise, she'd never be able to live it down. "And you're still a little bitch too."

Before Ino could bitch at Kin before calling Sakura a bitch, she heard groaning and whipped her head over to where Dosu was laying. The bandaged covered Sound ninja was slowly, VERY slowly, picking himself up from the ground while groaning in pain. The bandages that covered his mouth were now red from him coughing up blood. As he finally got to his feet, he clutched his chest in pain and let out a few more coughs before glaring at Sakura with his one visible eye. However, his glare turned to satisfaction as he took in Sakura's pitiful appearance.

"To think I was brought to the brink of death by the likes of you. After that display of power, I figured you might actually pose a threat." Dosu said before going into a fit of coughing from pressure on his lungs. "And look at you now. You're practically begging to be put out of your misery."

After glaring at Sakura with all of his hatred, Dosu finally took notice of Squad 10, who seemed to be trying to form a protective shield in front of Sakura. As Shikamaru moved to stand directly in front of Sakura, Dosu narrowed his eye in aggravation.

"And just who the hell are you three?" Dosu asked angrily. As if the pink haired brat wasn't annoying enough, these meddlesome bastards show up. Oh well, the more he got to kill, the better. It would help blow off some steam before getting back down to business.

'_Damnit. So much for having a 3 on 1 advantage.' _Ino thought. '_Although, their still in a weakened state, so we might still have a chance here.'_

As Ino went over what she should do in this situation, she was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of Sakura's voice.

"Ino? But...why are you-"

"Because I'm tired of you showing off and always getting all of the credit." Ino interrupted. She wasn't going to tell Sakura the "real" reason why she'd interfered and she had to remain her old self so that Sakura wouldn't catch on.

As Dosu listened to Ino's response, his aggravation increased dramatically. So, these annoying bastards had stepped in because of jealousy? Dosu felt like slapping his hand to his face at that moment. Honestly, these rookies were such children.

"You Leaf Village worms will be sorry you got yourselves involved in something that doesn't even concern you!" Dosu said before grimacing and holding his chest in pain. In his present condition, raising his voice put too much strain on his lungs.

"Oh man, what are we doing here?" Choji whimpered after having second thoughts. " We can't really beat these guys."

"Choji! Get it together." Shikamaru advised. "I don't really wanna get involved either, but I can't just sit back and watch Sakura get wasted like this. It just ain't right. Besides, my conscience would nag me about it later, which would be a real pain in my ass."

"Yeah, we are a 3-Man team aren't we? All for one and one for all!" Ino agreed excitedly.

"Have you both gone completely nuts? This isn't teamwork, it's complete and utter suicide! I want out!" Choji said as he scrambled to get away. However, Shikamaru reached over and grabbed Choji's scarf, preventing his glutton of a teammate from escaping ad amusing Zaku greatly. These guys would be a piece of cake.

"Heh, the fear finally drove you mad, eh _fatso?_" Zaku teased with his arms crossed over his chest. The "fatso" part echoed, causing Zaku to look around in confusion. He then looked to Dosu and Kin, who only shrugged their shoulders as they were just as baffled as Zaku. '_That was...weird. I know I didn't say it that loud.' _It was then that Zaku noticed the forest had grown strangely quiet.

"..."

Choji's ears twitched at hearing one of the _taboo _words exit Zaku's mouth. Instantly, a burning rage began to build up inside of Choji until it took all of the chubby Leaf Genin's inner strength to hold it back.

"What...did...you...just...say?" Choji said in a threatening voice, stressing each individual word slowly. An intent to kill began to radiate off of Choji in waves that continued to get bigger and bigger, which alarmed Ino and Shikamaru who then took a few steps away from their overweight teammate. "Could you repeat THAT!"

'_Uh-oh__. This guy has really pushed Choji's button BIG time.' _Shikamaru thought as his eye twitched out of nervousness. He'd seen what happens when Choji gets like this and it wasn't pretty to say the least. In fact, Shikamaru still remembered what happened to that kid who'd made the same mistake as Zaku...poor guy never had a chance.

"You heard me. I said you're lucky to get out while you still can..._fatass." _Zaku repeated_, _the word "fatass" echoing.

That did it.

The rage Choji had been holding back exploded like fire igniting gasoline. The air became thick with chakra as Choji let the rage take over his mindset, causing Shikamaru and Ino to take a few more steps back. Choji saw red as he whipped back around with a glare powerful enough to make grown men wet themselves.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING FAT, ASSHOLE?" Choji bellowed as chakra began to swirl around him in a powerful vortex. "CHUBBY'S RULE!"

The chakra swirling around Choji kicked up a cloud of dirt & leaves as it slowly dissipated, leaving Choji standing there, furious and his eyes literally burning with rage. Fortunately, he had the perfect outlet for his frustration and it was standing right in front of him.

"Great. Now we have to deal with this." Shikamaru said after a deep sigh.

"Well don't worry, you won't have to for very long." Zaku said as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation and began to walk forward.

"Squad 10 Battle Formation: Ino-Shika-Cho!" Ino called out. "Okay, take it away Choji!"

"With pleasure!" Choji said as he made a hand seal. "Ninja Art: Expansion Jutsu!"

Suddenly, there was a large puff of smoke that engulfed Choji's body, completely hiding it from view. When the smoke cleared after only a few seconds, there Choji stood, but looking a little different from before. His entire body had inflated and was now as big and rounded as a bowling ball. Wasting no time, Choji then sucked in his arms , legs and head before jumping into the air and spinning forward rapidly.

"Human Boulder Jutsu!" Choji yelled as he landed and shot forward like a bullet, kicking up a cloud of dust as he shot along toward Zaku. Choji was blasting forward so fast that he practically broke the sound barrier! Anything that he hit would be shattered to pieces upon impact, and the only thing in Choji's way right now, of course, was Zaku.

"Heh, you've gotta be kidding me. What am I supposed to do? Laugh myself to death?" Zaku said as he went through a series of hand seals quickly. "Slicing Air Wave!"

Zaku raised his hand toward Choji and blasted a concentrated stream of air from his palms. Instead of shattering Choji's bones to pieces like it was supposed to, the attack only succeeded in making Choji spin in place, kicking up a massive dust cloud. Oddly enough, Choji just picked up more speed and actually moved forward inch by inch, pushing Zaku's attack back! In response, Zaku increased the pressure of the air stream and managed to push Choji back a couple of inches. Seeing that he wasn't gonna be able to get anywhere at this rate, Choji instead bolted straight up into the air like a bat out hell only to shoot back down like a meteor!

"I don't believe it! That kid actually jumped the air stream!" Zaku exclaimed. '_That thing is spinning way too fast! My soundwave can't control it! And if I try going supersonic on it, it'll probably rip my arms clean off!_

As Zaku stood there about to be smashed into the ground, Dosu decided that he had to do something and fast. Fighting through the pain in his chest, Dosu took off with a burst of speed by focusing chakra into his legs.

'_Damnit! I'm having to save Zaku's ass again!' _thought Dosu as he ran toward Zaku as fast as he could.

However, Dosu's attempt to save his comrade did not go unnoticed by Shikamaru, who was already making his move to subdue the speed demon Sound ninja.

'_Oh no you don't asshole. It's time someone put you under wraps.' _Shikamaru thought as he made a hand seal for his clan's exclusive technique.

"Ninja Art: Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

Shikamaru's shadow came to life at that moment and shot forward with speed that made Dosu look like he was running in slow motion. It easily caught up to Dosu and merged within his shadow, binding him to Shikamaru.

"W-What's happening?" Dosu said as he felt his body fail on him and become unresponsive. Turning around with great difficulty, Dosu saw that his shadow was now connected to Shikamaru's.

Meanwhile, Zaku was barely able to get out of the way as Choji smashed into the ground with bone crushing impact, creating a deep crater that was almost as wide as Choji's expanded body. As Zaku looked over at Dosu, he saw that said team leader was just standing there across from Shikamaru. As he opened his mouth to shout his displeasure, Choji shot forward from the crater and Zaku was forced to run for his life or risk being run over.

"Dosu what's the matter with you? Why are you just standing there like that?" Kin screamed, taking the words right out of Zaku's mouth.

"I'm not doing this! This...must be...s-some kind of...paralysis...j-jutsu." Dosu said, straining to get the words out as he fought for control of his body. But Shikamaru wasn't about to to have that. Instead, just to fuck with him, Shikamaru forced Dosu to strike a ridiculous pose. Which involved putting his hands on either side of his head and making them resemble deer antlers. With Dosu subdued, that now left Kin.

"Ino, I'll leave the girl to you." Shikamaru said in a lazy tone.

"You've got it. Just remember to take care of my body while I'm gone." Ino said as she made a square using her fingers, with Kin directly in the center. "Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

At those words, Ino's soul left her body and entered the body of Kin. Kin visibly flinched as her mind was taken over and appeared to go limp a few seconds later, alarming her two other teammates. Fortunately, Shikamaru managed to catch Ino's body as it fell limp also, no longer inhabited by a soul. Meanwhile, Zaku managed to successfully move out of the way as Choji shot past him like a speeding train.

"Damnit, I've enough of this!" Zaku said angrily. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed that Kin was just standing there with her head down. "Kin! What's up with you?"

At first, Kin did not respond. However, a few seconds later, Kin seemed to come back to life again. Smirking, the female Sound ninja reached into her weapons pouch, pulled out a kunai, and poised it her at neck. Both Zaku and Dosu were further baffled when Kin began to chuckle excitedly. What had gotten into her?

"The party is over fellas! Make one wrong move, and your teammate here gets it in the neck!" Ino said, using Kin's body as a medium. To further prove her point, she pushed the kunai against Kin's neck a little firmer, but not hard enough to draw blood just yet. "I'm sure you don't want that to happen, so here's what you do: just drop the scroll and walk away. Once you're far enough away where I can't sense your chakras, I'll let her go."

As she spoke, Ino noticed that neither of her enemy's teammates were in the least bit concerned. In fact, they smirked as though they were the ones in control of the situation. Normally, someone would be alarmed if their teammate was being held hostage, but these guys obviously weren't doing that.

'_What's with these guys? Somethings wrong?' _Ino said as she waited for Zaku and Dosu to follow her orders. However, instead of following Ino's orders, Zaku raised his hand toward her and prepared to fire.

"Oh no! Choji!" Ino yelled.

"Coming!"

Choji managed to reach Kin (Ino) in the nick of time, just as Zaku shot out a concentrated stream of pressurized air that would've blown Kin/Ino away had Choji not arrived in time. The stream of air knocked Choji away and the resulting shockwave of the air stream hitting Choji slammed Kin/Ino against the tree behind her. Almost immediately, a thin line of blood slid down the corner of Ino's mouth back at her original body.

"Shit! This is bad!" Shikamaru exclaimed as he noticed the blood. He could already sense that this was the turning point in this battle. And right when they were doing so good too.

"Hey guys, I don't feel so good." Choji said as he walked over to rejoin his team, covering his mouth. His eyes had become swirls and it felt as though he would heave his lunch at any moment. It was a side effect of the jutsu, which is why Choji really hated using it sometimes.

Meanwhile, Kin/Ino struggled through the mind numbing pain and managed to prop herself up by her forearms.

"I don't get it. What kind of monsters would attack their own teammate?" Kin/Ino asked, struggling to get the words out.

"I guess monsters like us would." Zaku said with a sick smile on his face.

"You see, we don't play this game by **your **rules. We're not interested in the scrolls or passing this test. The only thing we're interested in is...Sasuke." Dosu explained in a dark voice, his visible eye going wide with excitement.

At that moment, Shikamaru's shadow possession wore off and his shadow returned to him, leaving Dosu free to move his body again.

'_Damnit. I completely forgot about the time limit.' _Shikamaru thought in frustration.

"Hmmm, it appears your paralysis jutsu has a pretty limited duration I see." Dosu said as he flexed his fingers.

"It's called Shadow Possession Jutsu. Get you jutsus right goddamn it." Shikamaru snapped.

"Whatever. Also, I see that your teammate has the ability to slip her soul into her opponent. That's very clever, but dangerous. Anything that happens to Kin happens to her too. So, if Kin were to die per say..." Dosu said, letting his voice trail off so that Shikamaru could put two & two together.

"Wait, so you're gonna kill your own teammate?" Shikamaru questioned incredulously.

"Well, if push comes to shove, yeah." Zaku said as he raised his hand at Kin/Ino again, causing Shikamaru and Choji to visibly tense. "What? Did you really think you could beat **us**? Face it, you Leaf shinobi are nothing but a bunch of wimps-"

"From a second rate village." Dosu said, finishing Zaku's sentence for him.

As Zaku was about to finish off Kin/Ino, a familiar and authoritative voice cut through the air, stopping Zaku before he could unleash the stream of air.

"That's pretty tough talk." Neji said from his position ontop of a tree branch that overlooked the entire clearing. "I guess that makes your village third rate. And I highly doubt any of you amateurs are ready to take on the real thing!"

"What did you just say punk?" Dosu asked threateningly as he looked up at Neji and Tenten. Looking up as well, all eyes were now on Neji as the Hyuga prodigy, along with Tenten, stared down at them all with his arms crossed confidently over his chest.

'_Hmm, this one is different from the others. I can feel his power all the way from down here.' _Dosu commented. This one actually did pose a real threat.

As Tenten skimmed over the ground below, she finally spotted Lee lying unconscious over by Naruto and Sasuke. The boy had was covered in scratches and bruises and he didn't appear to even be breathing as he laid on his stomach.

"Lee." Tenten gasped. "How could they do such a thing?"

Following Tenten's gaze, Neji spotted Lee also over by an unconscious Naruto and Sasuke. At seeing his teammate in a less-than-horrible condition, Neji didn't bother to control his anger and instead allowed it to course through his veins.

"I see someone used our teammate as a punching bag." Neji said calmly as he slowly closed his eyes, only to reopen them again and revealing the Byakugan to the onlookers below. "Nobody does that and gets away with it!"

Gasps could be heard as everyone gazed up at the enraged Hyuga. Never before had they seen such a look as intense as his. In fact, it rivaled that of Sasuke's Uchiha glare.

'_His eyes...He's not just looking at us, he's looking right **through **us!_' Dosu thought to himself in disbelief. Even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, this kid's eyes freaked him out more than the Rinnegan.

"Play time is over Tenten. We need to finish this quickly. After all, we still need to find the scroll we need." Neji said.

Tenten nodded as she reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a handful of shuriken. Before she could hurl the projectiles at her opponents, she was stopped dead in her tracks when Neji let out a loud gasp.

"Neji? What is it?" Tenten asked.

'_That chakra...' _Neji thought to himself. Out of nowhere, Neji had detected an especially foul chakra that was coming from somewhere down below. This foul, menacing chakra gave off an ominous presence and it sent chills down Neji's spine. Worse yet, it was getting stronger and stronger by each passing second. As it grew stronger, Neji was able to pinpoint exactly where the foul chakra was coming from and his eyes widened in surprise, causing him to deactivate his Byakugan.

"Well? Are you gonna just stay up there all day or are you gonna come down here and do something about it? Dosu taunted from his position down below. This kid made all that fuss about going against the "real" thing and now he wasn't even going to do anything. _'I knew it. These Leaf ninja are all talk and no action. Hmph, pussies.'_

_"_Actually, it looks like this situation has been taken out of my hands." Neji said with a smirk on his face. "And you're about to find out why."

Dosu gave Neji a dirty look and was about to make a smartass comment, when suddenly, he too sensed the foul chakra as well. His visible eye widened as he looked around, trying to pinpoint where this evil chakra was coming from. After stopping to think for a minute, Dosu whipped his head over to Sasuke's direction and his eye grew wider as he saw what appeared to be a dark purple mist emanating from Sasuke's body. Not only that, it was getting thicker and thicker by the second and floated high into the sky, almost going past the treetops. Now, all eyes were on Sasuke as the foul chakra became thick in the air, making it hard to breathe and chilling everyone to the bone. As the dark chakra became thicker, Sasuke bolted upright and slowly rose to his feet, the dark chakra now surrounding his body like dark purple flames. The air became even thicker as the dark, foul chakra became even more intense and Sasuke resembled a demon as he rose to his feet, his body nothing more than an ominous silhouette.

"Sasuke? _That's _Sasuke?" Kin/Ino said in horror. No, this wasn't Sasuke. This was...something else. Something...evil.

Finally, the dark chakra began to dissipate and Sasuke's features could finally be seen. However, Sasuke's appearance is what shocked everyone the most besides the dark chakra hovering around him. Black markings that resembled flames covered the entire left side of Sasuke's face, and most likely, the left side of his entire body. Sasuke opened his eyes to reveal the Sharingan and allowed his vision to come back into focus, after which he then took notice of everyone watching him. Sensing movement not far to his right, Sasuke looked over and saw that Naruto was stirring in his sleep, on the verge of waking up. Finally, Naruto's eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing his ocean blue eyes rather than the Rinnegan. Seeing that Naruto was okay, Sasuke then turned his attention to Sakura and took in her disheveled hair, black eye, bruises, and open wounds that were still oozing fresh blood, but in smaller drops this time since the blood was clotting.

"Sakura" Sasuke said in a dark and cold tone of voice. "Who did this to you? Tell me, who was it?

Even though it could not be visibly seen, Dosu was gaping at Sasuke in open mouth shock. Somehow, this seemed all too familiar, and was sure he'd seen it somewhere. However, it had been many years ago. A dark and ominous presence hung around Sasuke like a thick blanket that seemed to choke the very air from everyone in the clearing. The dark, foul chakra now swirled around Sasuke and began to pick up speed as swirled faster and faster like a typhoon.

'_Those marking...their all over his body!' _Dosu observed to himself.

"Sasuke? What's happened to you?" Sakura asked as he stared up at Sasuke from her position on the ground.

Sasuke took a moment to look at himself and noticed the black flame markings on his hands. Normally, he would be a little freaked at something like this, but the only thing Sasuke was aware of was the power coursing through his veins. He felt practically invincible and he was dying to see what he could with his strange new power.

"Don't worry, I'm alright." Sasuke said after flexing his fingers a few times. "I can feel the power flowing through me. In fact, I've never felt better."

A moment later, Naruto sat up and stretched his sore muscles. It felt as though he had been asleep for weeks and his body had grown stiff from being still for so long. After yawning and stretching a few more times, Naruto rose to his feet.

"Man, that nap felt awesome! I feel like a million bucks!" Naruto exclaimed while stretching his leg muscles. As Naruto took in his surroundings, his blue eyes landed on Sakura first and his jaw nearly dropped off in shock. "Sakura-chan! What the hell happened to you? How long have I been out? Who did this to you? What's going-"

"Give it a rest dobe." Sasuke said in an aggravated tone. Naruto's loud voice and questions were giving him a migraine.

Naruto was about to make a smart remark, but his words got stuck in his throat when he looked over at his boyfriend. At seeing the black markings all over Sasuke's body and sensing the dark chakra that had become thick in the air, Naruto's jaw dropped and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"Sasuke? What in the hell?" Naruto exclaimed.

"I'm fine Naruto." Sasuke replied. "I may look a little different, but I'm alright."

Dosu, meanwhile, was starting to put two & two together as he gazed at Sasuke in horror. He'd seen that kind of pattern before while back in Otogakure, The Village Hidden in the Sound. However, that had been a number of years ago. Now, he was seeing it again and in one of it's most powerful forms. How Sasuke managed to survive, Dosu would never know.

'_I understand now. Those marks on his neck that the pink haired girl spoke of, it was a Curse Mark! Who would've thought that he'd survive the Curse Seal of Heaven, on of the rarest and most powerful Curse Marks in existence?' _Dosu thought to himself in realization. '_No wonder Orochimaru wants this boy so badly.'_

_"_Sakura, get over your shock and tell me which one of these people did this to you." Sasuke said in a heated tone. He was ready to make whoever did this pay. All this power was flowing through his body and he was ready to use it on someone, _anyone_.

Out of all of the people who stared in awe and horror at Sasuke's transformation, Zaku was the only one to regain his composure and the cocky Sound ninja now smirked at Sasuke with no fear at all. So this little punk woke up and made a dramatic entrance...big fucking deal! If this arrogant little Uchiha thought that he was going to scare anyone with his dark chakra and piercing gaze, he had had another thing bloody well coming.

"Yeah, that would be me." Zaku said with an arrogant sneer.

Immediately, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes snapped toward Zaku, and in a slow and eerie fashion, Sasuke turned to look him in the eye. Zaku faltered for a moment before regaining his composure and returning Sasuke's glare with a glare of his own. He wasn't going to back down, especially to some rookie. Ino, along with everyone else, could only stare at Sasuke as he and Zaku stared each other down. However, she was brought out of her trance by the sound of Shikamaru's voice.

"Ino!" Shikamaru yelled in a loud whisper within the bushes they had been hiding behind before. "Hurry up and get back in you body! You don't wanna get involved in this! You too Choji, c'mon and get out of there!"

Not needing to be told twice, Choji made a run for it and joined Shikamaru in the bushes. Ino quickly released the Mind Transfer Jutsu and her soul successfully returned to her original body. She was fatigued and in a little pain, but she'd be alright. Dosu, however, looked about ready to go off the edge as he began to take a few steps back. Needless to say, Zaku noticed the subtle movements.

"Yo, Dosu, you're not getting cold feet are ya?" Zaku asked as he went through a series of hand seals for his next attack.

"Wait Zaku! You don't understand!" Dosu hollered in alarm before being seized in a fit of coughing. Zaku just didn't understand what they were up against. The time to retreat was now while they still had a chance. Any second wasted still standing there could be their last. Why didn't Zaku understand that?

"Watch this Dosu! I'll take out the whole lot of them with one attack! My strongest one yet!" Zaku said as he raised both of his palms to Squad 7 and concentrated as much of his chakra as he possibly could. "Super Sonic Slicing Wave!"

No sooner were those words spoken when an unimaginably powerful gust of air blasted from Zaku's palms and seemed to hit Squad 7 dead on. The trees, bushes, and boulders that were in the way were literally ripped to pieces as the gust of air sliced through them with no effort whatsoever. A sonic boom reverberated through the air as the attack came into contact with it's targets. Most of the ground in front of Zaku was torn away by the explosion, which was so loud that everyone in the area was forced to cover their ears or risk going deaf for rest of their days. When the smoke finally cleared and the dust finally settled, all that was left was a large, deep trench that the explosion had carved out. However, that's not what got everyone's attention. What got everyone's attention was what appeared to be a yellow, conical cocoon that stood in the middle of the trench. It appeared to be made of steel since it shone in the sunlight, but strangely, it also appeared to be made of long, sharp needles.

'_Interesting jutsu.' _Neji thought to himself in appreciation. It had only been a few seconds, but he had seen when Naruto had successfully managed to go through the hand seals only moments before the attack hit. Impressive jutsu speed indeed.

"Huh? What the hell is that thing?" Zaku asked in confusion.

He soon got his answer when the cocoon began to recede, revealing Squad 7 to be safe and sound with not a scratch on them...other than the ones they already had. Anyway, as the cocoon receded, it is revealed that the long, sharp needles that the cocoon had been made out of was Naruto's hair that had been hardened with chakra! In only a few seconds, the cocoon had fully receded. However, as a side effect of the jutsu, Naruto's hair had lengthened tremendously. It now dropped down to his lower back. A few strands of blonde hair hung over his eyebrows and a couple hung down to his cheeks while the rest dropped down to his back. **(AN: It resembles the hair of the First Hokage without his headband. Some pictures can be found on Google Images if you don't know what I mean.) **After the jutsu had canceled itself, Sakura looked up at Naruto with a confused look.

"Uh...Naruto? What did you do just now?" Sakura asked.

"Like it Sakura-chan? It's called Wild Lion's Mane Technique. Although, because of this stupid seal, I can only focus my chakra for it for so long though." Naruto said as he pulled up his shirt, showing the extra seal placed on him by Shiore. Knowledge of seals, taught to him by Jiraiya, allowed Naruto to not only distinguish it as the Five Pronged Seal, but also it's effects too. Unless the seal was removed, he'd never be able to properly focus his chakra again. Luckily, he could remove it himself, but he would need time for that, which he didn't have right now. As he pulled his shirt back down, Naruto finally took notice of his much longer hair.

"Whoa, my hair! Pervy Sage didn't say this would happen!" Naruto exclaimed as he pulled a rubberband out of his pocket and tied his hair in a long shaggy ponytail that hung almost past his butt, similar to Jiraiya's. "I wonder if this is how Pervy Sage's hair got so lo-"

Naruto was cut off in mid sentence as Sasuke grabbed both him and Sakura and pulled them both out of harm's way as a powerful stream of pressurized air impacted the spot where they had been only moments before. Zaku let out a growl of frustration as he sensed Squad 7 reappear behind him. Before he could turn around to face them, however, Sasuke struck first and effortlessly slapped Zaku away with the back of his hand, sending the male Sound shinobi rolling across the ground toward a shocked Dosu.

"Zaku!" Dosu cried in alarm before coughing again. '_Such speed! He got both of his teammates out of harm's way in the blink of an eye! I thought only the Rinnegan Master was capable of such staggering speed!'_

_"_Naruto, take care of Sakura while I deal with these two." Sasuke said in a dark tone before going through a set of hand seals, setting both Dosu and Zaku on edge. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

After inhaling air into his lungs, Sasuke shot a series of fireballs out from his mouth that flew toward Zaku like a series of cannonballs. Zaku, however, only smirked as the fireballs came closer and closer.

"Ha, I don't think so!" Zaku said as he blasted a gust of air at the flaming balls of death. However, as Zaku found out, the flames were only part of the attack, for after the flames were blown away, a series of shuriken took their place and continued their pace toward their target. Stunned, Zaku was unable to move out of the way in time as the shurikens reached him, slashing and cutting his body as they whizzed along, causing Zaku to holler out in pain.

"No Zaku! Get down!" Dosu warned, but his warning came too late, for in the next second, Sasuke now stood on Zaku's back with one foot and he had a firm grip on the boy's arms as he hoisted them up in the air, smirking with delight. Zaku struggled to stand up and throw Sasuke off of his back, but Sasuke only pushed down harder and easily overpowered Zaku with his new strength.

"You know, you seem to be very "attached" to these arms of yours." Sasuke said as he began to pull forcefully on Zaku's arms. Alarmed, Zaku looked back to stare Sasuke in the face with a look of horror.

"Stop! What're you doing?" Zaku cried. "Let me go!"

"Sasuke! That's enough! He's learned his lesson!" Naruto cried. "Stop this!"

Sasuke's only response was a sadistic smirk as he gave one final pull with inhuman strength, leaving everyone to watch in horror as Sasuke tore Zaku's arms from their sockets. Zaku screamed as loud as he possible could, his screams of pain and agony echoing throughout the entire forest. No word could describe the pain that rampaged through Zaku's body as the joints and tendons in his arms were shredded apart. In fact, the pain was so intense that Zaku passed out just before Sasuke let him go, sending his body tumbling across the ground almost lifelessly. After making Zaku suffer, Sasuke then turned his almost demonic gaze over to Dosu, who began to tremble. For the first time in his life, Dosu was experiencing what true fear felt like.

"Looks like you're the only one left. Hopefully, you'll make things more interesting than your friend did." Sasuke said with a wild look in his eye. With evil intentions in mind, Sasuke began to make his way over to Dosu slowly, wanting to enjoy every moment of Dosu's fear. He could practically smell it in the air.

Suddenly from out of nowhere, Naruto appeared in front of Sasuke within a fraction of a second and clotheslined the Uchiha to the ground after charging forward with a burst of speed. As Sasuke recovered from the blow, he stared up at a pissed off Naruto who now sported a pair of Rinnegan eyes instead of his normal blue ones.

"What the hell has gotten into you Sasuke?" Naruto hollered. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"The only one who has lost their mind is you Naruto!" Sasuke snapped. "Do you realize your defending the enemy? That bastard got exactly what he deserved! Now move or suffer the same fate!"

"That's it! If I have to beat some sense into you, then so be it!"

With a grunt, Naruto threw himself onto Sasuke and began to pound him in the face with lefts and rights. Sasuke rolled over and, after delivering a few blows of his own, began to slam the back of Naruto's head into the ground before Naruto reversed their positions again and continued his assault. Meanwhile, all Sakura could do was watch from the sidelines as her two teammates beat the shit out of each other. Finally, Sasuke was able to punch Naruto off of him and began to stalk his way over to the blonde with a raised kunai he had pulled out of his weapons pouch. As she watched Sasuke make his way closer to Naruto, Sakura couldn't hold back her tears any longer and let them stream freely down her face.

'_He's...out of control.' _Sakura thought to herself as she picked herself up. '_ No...it's not him. It can't be. Whoever that is...it's not Sasuke!'_

_"_Noooo! Sasuke stop!" Sakura screamed as she ran forward as fast as her legs could carry her.

Sasuke had just raised the kunai high above his head and was about to bring it down on Naruto's body when Sakura wrapped her arms around him from behind and embraced the Uchiha in a tight hug, the tears falling down her cheeks like a downpour. Sasuke turned his head to the side and glared at her with a dangerous look, warning her to back off.

"Please Sasuke, stop. Don't do it." Sakura pleaded as she sobbed. "Stop, please. I know you're in there Sasuke. Please, think about what you're doing."

At seeing Sakura's tears and listening to her words, Sasuke finally began to regain control of himself. His mind became clearer, his Sharingan deactivated, and the curse mark began to recede back to the spot on his neck. As he finally came to his senses, Sasuke looked at the kunai raised above his head and then he looked down at Naruto. Instantly, Sasuke's eyes widened at what he had almost done and the resulting shock of realization knocked him off his feet and flat on his butt, breathing heavily.

"It's alright Sasuke. It's over now." Sakura said softly as Sasuke began to calm down a little. However, both Sasuke and Sakura snapped to attention when Dosu began to clap.

"Bravo. I must admit, you're strong Sasuke." Dosu said as he held out his team's "Earth" scroll. "In fact, you're too strong. Neither my team nor I can hope to defeat you the way you are now. So, I'll strike you a deal: I'll give you our "Earth"scroll in exchange for letting us go. I believe you've earned it."

With that, Dosu laid the blue scroll on the ground and turned his back as he walked over to retrieve his two unconscious teammates. As he gathered them, he turned to Squad 7 to deliver one final message.

"We may have underestimated you Sasuke, but at least we found out what we needed to know." Dosu said as he picked up Kin from the ground. "For the moment, we're even. However, if we should ever again meet in combat, I promise you that we will neither run nor hide."

With nothing else left to say, Dosu turned and began to walk away from the clearing with his two unconscious teammates. Before he could actually leave the clearing, he was stopped by Sakura. The pink haired kunoichi still had questions that she wanted answered.

"Wait a second! I still want answers! Who is Orochimaru, what has he done to Sasuke, and why only Sasuke?" Sakura hollered so that her questions could be heard. She wasn't going to let Dosu get off that easily.

"I don't know. All I know is that we were told to target Sasuke, and so we did." Dosu answered in an aggravated tone. "However, I don't know why he sent us to assassinate someone on whom he'd bestowed such powers. I don't even know how Sasuke managed to survive the Curse Seal of Heaven. It is one of the most powerful Curse Mark Seals ever created and surviving it is a rare case. Though, as I said, I don't know how Sasuke managed to survive. In fact, there are a lot of things I don't know."

With no more questions to ask, Sakura allowed Dosu to turn and walk safely out of the clearing. Seeing as how there was no more danger, Sasuke slowly rose to his feet and walked over towards Naruto.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked as he extended his hand.

"Yeah...just fine." Naruto said as he allowed Sasuke to help him up.

"Sorry about what happened. I don't know what came over me."

"Don't worry about it teme. Besides, I let you have that one anyway. I could've easily kicked your ass if I'd have wanted to, believe it!"

Sasuke let out a frustrated growl before letting out his usual "Hn" and turning his back. He wasn't about to stoop to Naruto's level and play that game again. However, Sasuke was caught off guard when Naruto turned him around and pulled him into a deep kiss, having pulled down his face mask only a second ago.

"I'm still glad you're okay though." Naruto said after breaking away and pulling his mask back up. Sasuke only looked at him for a moment before giving a smile, but genuine, smile.

Moments later, Squad 10 reemerged from the bushes and split up to check on everyone and make sure they were okay.

Meanwhile, Neji and Tenten continued to watch from overhead as Squad 10 scurried about below. Neji, specifically, had his eyes on Sasuke as he was looked over by Sakura, apparently their team's medical ninja. Naruto, meanwhile, had walked over to Team Dosu's "Earth" scroll where he used some kind of gravity technique to pull the scroll into the palm of his hand.

'_That was no ordinary chakra. Most likely, Sasuke's Uchiha blood is what kept him alive.' _Neji thought. '_I had no idea that the Uchiha Clan was so strong. Hmm, it seems Sasuke is a more powerful opponent than I could've imagined.'_

As Neji and Tenten watched from above, one other person caught Neji's eye. It wasn't the boy with the Rinnegan, no. It was the boy who had his hair tied up in a spiky ponytail and who was currently talking to Naruto. Even though everyone thought that Neji and Tenten had shown up after Squad 10 had been backed into a corner, the two had actually arrived before then. Only, they had masked their chakra signatures so they wouldn't be detected, for Neji wanted to scope out their competition. Throughout the whole fight, however, Neji had only paid attention to the boy from the Nara Clan. The Hyuga genius had seen the boy around the village every now and then and, to be quite honest, he interested the Hyuga. The boy's laid back attitude and hidden talent drew Neji to him in ways that Neji himself could not explain. When Neji would see him, he would always feel this fluttering feeling in his stomach. So when Neji ran into him back at the clearing, his heart had almost skipped a beat when the boy had stepped out. Of course, Neji had to remain himself at that moment, and with the boy's team around, he could not approach the Nara Clan member like he had wanted to anyway.

Still, this fluttering feeling in his stomach perplexed Neji to no end. He'd never felt this feeling before and it only seemed to happen when that boy from the Nara Clan was around. At night, Neji would spend hours trying to figure out this feeling, but after not being able to come up with anything, he'd opted for watching the boy from afar. Still, Neji did wish he knew the boy's name, however, that would have to wait till later. Right now, they needed to retrieve Lee and get out of here.

"Tenten, lets hurry up and get Lee back to his feet. We need to get moving." Neji said in a commanding tone.

_"_Sure thing Neji. You wait here, and I'll be right back." Tenten replied as she stood up from one knee.

Moving with great agility, Tenten leaped from the tree branch that she and Neji had stood on and landed gracefully on the ground in front of Ino, who was carrying Lee on her shoulders. Startled, Ino looked up.

"Ino, thanks for looking after Lee. I can take it from here." Tenten said from her kneeled position on the ground.

"Uh...alright." Ino said reluctantly as she handed Lee over to his female team member.

At first, everything seemed normal as Tenten grabbed Lee from off of Ino's shoulders...that is until...

"C'mon Lee, pull it together! Snap out of it, alright?" Tenten yelled as she violently shook Lee back and forth until the green spandex wearing boy finally woke up with a groan.

"T-Tenten? Is that you? What are you doing here?" Lee asked groggily.

"I came to help you out. Why else would I be here?" Tenten replied.

"But...where are those Sound ninja guys?"

"Sasuke took care of them, but don't worry about him. He'll be okay. However, what I wanna know is, what were you thinking running into danger by yourself? Look at you Lee. You're a total mess!"

"Well, Sakura was in trouble so...I had to do something, right?"

_'He's gotta be kidding. He had to know that we didn't stand a chance alone against all of those guys.' _"That was pretty darn stupid, don't you think? You could've been killed."

"Yeah...I guess I cannot argue with that."

As Lee and Tenten conversed among themselves, they were interrupted by Sakura, who had walked over to give Lee her thanks. He'd risked his life to save, even when he didn't have to, and Sakura was eternally grateful. She honestly couldn't thank Lee enough, and a simple thank you just didn't seem good enough. Still, that was better than nothing.

"Lee...thank you. Because of you, I was able to stand up for myself and...I've also become a little stronger too." Sakura said in sincere thanks.

At first, Lee didn't not say anything, but after a minute, he smiled and seemed about ready to burst into tears.

"Thank you Sakura." Lee said as his voice cracked with emotion. "However, I guess my efforts alone were not good enough."

At that moment, Naruto and Sasuke walked up to rejoin the others, holding hands. Naruto had deactivated his Rinnegan since there was no more danger for the time being and Sasuke injuries from his battle against Shiore had fully healed, thanks to Sakura's medical skills.

"So Sasuke...it appears that you are as good as your reputation, just what I would expect of someone from the Uchiha Clan." Lee said to him after he and Naruto walked up. "To chase off those ninja, you must be very strong indeed. Not like me, however. I just got beaten to a pulp."

At hearing this news, Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. Instantly, the battle between Lee and Naruto back at the Ninja Academy flashed through his mind. Lee had been so powerful then, being able to keep up with Naruto's moves and moving in ways Sasuke thought impossible. For those guys to have beaten Lee must've meant that were insanely strong, however Sasuke had defeated them as though they were nothing.

'_What's he talking about, "beaten to a pulp"? Is he serious? Were those guys really **that **strong?' _Sasuke thought to himself. _'The power of the Curse Mark...it's unbelievable!'_

Meanwhile, instead of joining the others, Ino stood outside of the crowd, watching Sakura with mixed emotions. One part of her, the small part of her, was happy that Sakura was alive and well while the other bigger part of her was still wishing that the pink haired girl would die. As she watched the girl who could've possibly been her lover, Ino decided that she and Sakura were better off as rivals. Knowing her, Sakura probably wouldn't return her feelings anyway. And even though it hurt, Ino had to let her feelings for the girl go. Otherwise, the heartache would never go away. Still, before she left, Ino wanted to be physically close to Sakura. She wanted to feel her wonderful body heat and inhale her intoxicating scent at least one more time. As she watched the pink haired girl, Ino noticed that Sakura's hair was still a complete mess. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Ino's head and she formed an idea.

"Hey Billboard Brow! Come over here and let me do something with that mess you call hair!"

* * *

Meanwhile, a few hours after overcoming Orochimaru and the almost unbearable pain of the Curse Seal of Heaven, Anko Mitarashi had managed to make her way to the tower in the center of the Forest of Death. Upon her arrival, she'd filled the Anbu Blacks Ops that were stationed there in on what had happened and Orochimaru's presence within the village. Now, her and two other Anbu were discussing about what they should do. If they were to stop the exams and put the village on high alert, it could possibly make things ten times as worse. So now, they were at a fork in the road and getting nowhere.

"This is turning into a real mess, but there's no way we can cancel the test at a time like this." Anko said in frustration as she banged her fist on the arm of the chair.

"What do you mean?" one of the Anbu asked her.

Before Anko could answer, one of the other Chunin within the tower appeared in the doorway looking frantic. The male Chunin had tan skin and dark blue hair, as well as a goatee. He was breathing heavily from having run all the way upstairs and he had to stop and catch his breath before speaking.

"Sorry to interrupt, Lady Anko." he said breathlessly.

"This had better be good. We were talking about something important you know!" Anko snapped. This was a dire situation and she didn't feel like being disturbed right now with something trivial.

"Uh...I'm sorry, but it's urgent. Anyway, you have to see this tape." the Chunin said as held up a mysterious black tape for all to see.

"What exactly is it?" the other Anbu ninja asked.

Instead of responding verbally, the male unnamed Chunin officer went to the television at the front of the room and slipped the tape into the VCR. At first, all that appeared was static before the male Chunin began to adjust the knobs and dials on the old fashioned television set.

"Now when you look at this, be sure to pay special attention to the time." the male Chunin instructed.

A moment, later, the tape began to play and Anko, the Anbu, and the male Chunin officer were looking at Gaara's team as they arrived at tower. Like the Chunin had instructed, the Anbu ninja and Anko looked at the time and almost gasped out loud in shock.

"No, that can't be right." Anko said in disbelief, her eyes wide.

"I'm afraid the time is right on the dot Anko. This was recorded from inside the tower, and even though this is my third time looking at it, I still can't believe it myself." The male Chunin said as he took a side glance at Anko and the others. "Those Sand ninja finished only an hour and thirty-seven minutes **after** the test started. They completely destroyed the record for finishing the second test."

"But...that's impossible." Anko said. First Orochimaru shows up from out of nowhere, and then these kids finish in record breaking time. Honestly, it was just one surprise after another!

"Well apparently, it really is possible. It took them only ninety-seven minutes." the male Chunin officer replied. "In all the years that the Chunin Exams have been going on, this has never happened before. In fact, no one has even come close. I don't know about you, but if you ask me, those ninja from Sunagakure are way above Genin level. I mean, they beat the old record by four hours!"

As Anko continued to watch the tape, she paid very close attention to Gaara's appearance and noticed something even more surprising than his record breaking time. It was something that was very...unusual to say the least.

"I'm afraid it's not just their time that's shocking." Anko said as she stood up and walked toward the television.

"Huh? What do you mean?" the male Chunin officer asked.

"Think about it. It's ten kilometers from the entrance gates to the tower, and in between are ferocious animals and poisonous insects, not to mention the other ninja. So...how could they have avoided all of those things, especially that red haired kid in the front?" Anko said as she walked over to the window to look out at the forest.

"Wait, I'm lost. What's so special about him?" the male Chunin officer asked.

"You mean you don't see it? Even after you've seen it three times?" Anko asked incredulously. How could he miss something so obvious? Hmph, and he was supposed to be a Chunin. "Rewind the tape and watch it again."

Doing as Anko said, the Chunin officer rewound the tape and watched it again with the two Anbu ninja. At first, they didn't notice anything wither, but after looking a little more closely, they finally saw what Anko was talking about.

"Interesting. Yeah, that is quite a surprise." on the Anbu said.

"Sorry, but I still don't get it. What exactly am I supposed to be looking at here?" the Chunin asked, starting to become a little annoyed.

"It's not what you see, it's what you're **not **seeing." Anko said, giving him a side glance. "Rewind it and watch it again, closely this time and pay attention to his body."

The Chunin officer did as he was told and rewinded tape once more. After pressing the play button, he made sure to pay close attention to Gaara when he stopped in front of the camera. So far, Gaara looked completely normal. He wasn't injured or anything and he appeared to be perfectly...

That's it!

"I see it now." the officer said. "He's...completely clean. There's not even a speck of dirt on him anywhere."

"That's right. Not even a scratch." Anko said. "And as you just said, there's not even a speck of dirt on his clothing. The kid is completely unharmed."

'_This doesn't make any sense. Not even I nor the other Chunin could make it all the way here without so much as a scratch. I fact, it's damn near impossible!'_ the male Chunin officer thought to himself.

"That kid must have some kind of special ability, like a kekkei genkai or something." one of the Anbu suggested.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since we've had such a promising candidate." the other Anbu ninja agreed. "And either way you look at it, one thing is for sure: that kid has an evil glare in his eyes. It creeps me out just looking at him through a video."

After looking over the tape one more time to make sure they had not missed anything, Anko, the Anbu, and the Chunin officer cut off the tape and began to discuss the situation involving Orochimaru, as well as the mystery of how Gaara managed to get through the Forest of Death without so much as a grain of dirt staining his clothes.

**Alright everyone, this is where this chapter ends. I'd like to thank all of you who have read it so far, and don't forget to review. I know there was very little yaoi in this one, but I'll still try and add it in whenever I can. In the next chapter, Naruto and his team begin their race to tower and run into Team Oboro along the way. Wanna know what happens. Stay tuned and find out! On a completely unrelated note, I finished my exams today! I wish all of you a happy summer and be sure to review, review, review!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, Naruto wouldn't have been as weak as he was in Part1. Honestly, it's ridiculous how he was portrayed in the first part.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 30**

It had been 2 days since Squad's fight against Team Dosu. After obtaining their "Earth" scroll and traveling for a full day, Squad 7 was finally taking some well deserved R & R. Naruto had successfully managed to remove the Five Pronged Seal, just as Jiraiya had shown him back at Mt. Myoboku before the start of Chunin Exams. The blonde could now properly focus his chakra and call upon the power of the Nine Tails anytime he wanted. Unfortunately, Naruto's hair hadn't gone back to the way it was before, so now Naruto opted for wearing his lengthened hair in a long ponytail that stopped just above his ass. On the other hand, Sakura had replenished her lost chakra and had successfully managed to heal all of the injuries she'd suffered at the hands of Zaku. Sasuke opted for taking it easy and lazing around. The Uchiha had already retrieved and sharpened his sword, so he now had nothing else better to do besides watching his two teammates spar whenever they had the chance to rest. Now, on this beautiful day, the sun shone brilliantly in the sky, it was a comfortable 72 degrees, birds chirped overhead, and big puffy clouds practically filled the sky. On this day, Squad 7 was currently camped out right on the riverbank of the main river that ran through the Forest of Death. Their mission: catch lunch, which was proving to be easier said than done since they hadn't caught a single thing.

Sasuke sighed. He and Naruto had been sitting on the riverbank for an hour now and they hadn't gotten even a nibble on their makeshift fishing rods. After sitting there for ten more minutes, Sasuke's patience ran out. Looking over, he noticed that Naruto had fallen asleep while still holding his fishing rod. Smirking, Sasuke casually reached over and smacked Naruto upside the back the of his head, waking the blonde up instantly.

"Ouch! What the hell Sasuke?" Naruto yelled angrily while rubbing the back of his head.

"Well I had to wake you up somehow." Sasuke replied.

"Then why the hell didn't you just gently shake me awake or something?" Naruto asked heatedly.

"Because my way was more fun." Sasuke said coolly.

"You know what Sasuke? Eat a dick!"

"Whatever. Look, we've been sitting here for an hour and ten minutes already. Don't you have some kind of jutsu or summoning that can help us out here?"

Naruto put his hand to his chin and pondered for a moment before an idea came to mind. He'd been wanting to use this summon for a while now to see what it could do, and right now was the perfect time. Besides, it wasn't good for battle purposes anyway.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do have **one **summon that could work in this situation." Naruto said after thinking it over for a moment.

"Alright then. Let's see it." Sasuke replied.

Naruto threw his makeshift fishing rod off to the side somewhere and activated his Rinnegan before going through a quick set of hand seals.

"Rinnegan Summoning Jutsu!" Naruto called out before slamming the palm of his hand on the ground. A summoning jutsu formula appeared underneath his hand before a large puff of smoke engulfed his body. Moving back, Sasuke watched in genuine interest. When the smoke cleared, Naruto now stood ontop of what appeared to be a giant, 20 foot crab. This huge crab was encased in hard, thick red shell. In it's back, 4 chakra disruption spikes were embedded and at the end of it's eyestalks were a pair of Rinnegan eyes instead of normal ones.

"Alright, go get us some fish!" Naruto ordered as he pointed to the river.

The giant crustacean gave a grunt as it obeyed Naruto's command, submerging itself in the deep river and swimming forward with its gaping mouth wide open, swallowing up any fish that were unlucky enough to be in its path. As Sasuke watched the giant crustacean swim underwater, he finally remembered something he'd wanted to ask Naruto about.

"Hey dobe, how did you do that? I've been meaning to ask you about that and I noticed that you didn't use your blood like you would with a normal summoning." Sasuke said, or rather asked.

"It's called a Rinnegan Summoning. With a Rinnegan Summoning, you don't need to have a blood contract with the animal. Instead, all you have to do is focus on the animal you wanna summon and then make the right hand seals. Of course, you need the Rinnegan though. Otherwise, it defeats the whole purpose of a **Rinnegan** Summoning." Naruto explained.

"I see. Well how come the summons have the Rinnegan too?" Sasuke asked.

"Because of those chakra disruption spikes in their bodies. Surely you've noticed them. Those are what keep the summons under the Rinnegan's control. They do whatever I tell them and I can see what they see with the Rinnegan's shared vision. For each summon animal out there, there is a Rinnegan equivalent, so I can basically summon any animal I choose, you name it."

Sasuke only nodded as Naruto explained. There was still so much about Naruto's eyes that he still didn't understand.

'_That Rinnegan...it's so amazing. With it, Naruto can basically use any jutsu or summon any animal he wants. I shouldn't feel envious of him, but I can't help it. All of that power...if I only I had that...'_

Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts when the giant crab reemerged from out of the water. Upon reaching the shore, the giant crustacean opened it's mouth and a stream of fish poured out until there was a pile of them that towered a full foot above Naruto. Satisfied, Naruto gave the crab a friendly pat on the head. The crab then smiled with its eyes before dispersing into a large cloud of smoke. Naruto then pulled out a scroll and unfolded over top of the pile of fish. After going through a set of hand seals, the fish dispersed inside the scroll as Naruto went over and wrapped it back up.

"Okay teme, let's go eat!" Naruto said happily.

Not a moment too soon either, for a only a moment later...

"Sasuke! The fire's ready to light and I sure use one of your fireballs!" Sakura called from further inland.

"Let's get moving. I've seen how Sakura gets when she's hungry." Naruto grumbled, though Sasuke still heard.

As they were walking back, Sasuke got a sly urge and, very casually, reached his hand over and gently placed the palm of his hand up against Naruto's rear, causing the blonde to jump involuntarily.

"GAH! Get your hand off my ass teme!" Naruto screamed as he slapped Sasuke's hand away. "Stop doing that!"

Naruto blushed and folded his arms over his chest as he pouted, unaware that was exactly what Sasuke wanted him to do. The blonde kitsune was just so adorable when he did that and Sasuke's couldn't but mess with him. Plus, he'd forgotten how soft Naruto's ass was.

"You know you liked it, kitsune." Sasuke whispered hotly in Naruto's ear, causing the blonde to falter momentarily as his blush deepened.

Reaching to the side, Sasuke held Naruto's hand and gave the blonde a quick kiss on the cheek as they continued walking. A moment later, Naruto released the fish from the scroll, and after cooking them three at a time, Squad 7 happily dug in. They ate in a comfortable silence, each one lost in thought about the same thing: how they were going to get another "Heaven" scroll. At least Sasuke and Sakura were. Naruto was just plain hungry. By now, there were very few left and they'd be lucky to run into a team that had one. They were so nervous (and hungry) and lost in thought that, before they knew it, they were down to the last 3 fish. Finally, Sasuke spoke up.

"Look, as both of you are ware, it's been 4 days since the second exam began." Sasuke said as he gently poked the fire to keep it going. The fish weren't quite down yet. "We can forget about breaking any records, and just to make things worse, we only have 24 hours left."

"Yeah. And I wonder how many of the other teams have already gotten their scroll and finished?" Sakura asked solemnly.

'_And I'm wondering when this fish is gonna be done already! I'm starving!' _Naruto thought to himself.

'_This doesn't look good.' _Sasuke thought as he picked up their "Earth" scroll. '_If we don't get a break soon, we're finished.'_

_'Their almost done! Maybe if I move fast enough, I can get the biggest, juiciest one before the others get it!' _Naruto thought to himself excitedly.

Finally, a few minutes later, the fish were finally done. Just as Naruto wanted, he moved fast enough and got the last biggest, juiciest one, eagerly biting into it and savoring the flavor. Squad 7 ate in silence for a few more minutes again, before it Sakura who spoke this time.

"Hey guys, we may just have to face it: there may not be anymore "Heaven" scrolls left." Sakura said in a grave voice. No matter how hard she tried to remain hopeful, the possibility that there were no more "Heaven" scroll still forced its way inside her head regardless.

'Well that's a cheerful thought." Sasuke said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe it's true. Look, you said it yourself Sasuke. This is the 4th day we've been out here. That means we've used up 80% of the time we've got to complete the exam. Let's not forget that only 13 teams can pass because there are only 13 pairs of "Heaven" & "Earth" scrolls, and you've got 26 teams, or 78 candidates, looking for them. And as if those odds weren't bad enough, things have gotten even worse. Don't forget, that creep Orochimaru burnt the "Heaven" scroll we had. That means that the number of complete pairs of scrolls has been reduced by one right there, not to mention the other pairs that have been found and secured by the other teams since then."

"I see what you mean. Perhaps we gave ourselves too much time to recover from our last fight. I don't know how we screwed up, but what I do know is that we need to get serious now." Sasuke said sternly. "We have to make up for lost time. The last enemy we face could be our last chance. Anyway, I'm gonna go get some water. You two...try not to do anything stupid."

With that, Sasuke walked off towards the river, leaving Naruto and Sakura to their own devices. Naruto gave a deep sigh as he watched his boyfriend walk away, leaving him to feel a little lonesome, despite Sakura being here with him. The blonde hated seeing Sasuke like this, all stressed out. More than anything, Naruto wished that there was some way he could. Someway he could relieve Sasuke's stress, even just a little bit. As he looked down at their"Earth" scroll, an idea popped into Naruto's mind.

"Hey, Sakura. I know how we can do this without having to fight anyone." Naruto whispered, getting Sakura's attention. "Here, take a look."

Naruto grabbed his weapons pouch and flipped it upside down, spilling out the numerous scrolls that it kept inside. One was dark green, another light green, one was grayish brown, another was blue, and finally, the last one was white.

"What exactly am I supposed to be looking at?" Sakura asked, confused.

"What do you mean "what are you supposed to be looking at"? I mean the scrolls Sakura. I have tons of them! You know, manuals of ninjutsu and stuff like that. My idea is that we could change one of them to look like the "Heaven" scroll." Naruto suggested seriously.

"No...fucking...way! Don't even go any further." Sakura said as he gave Naruto "the hand". "Even if you could fake the outside, how would you fake what's written **inside**? You couldn't know without reading it and that's against the rules, genius!"

"Well, lucky for you, I've got it all figured out. These things must have a secret code written in them that only makes sense if you put them together. Yeah, and that secret code is like th password you need in order to get inside the tower at the end of the exam, get it?"

"All I get is that you're a complete fool. In case you haven't noticed Naruto, WE DON"T EVEN HAVE A "HEAVEN" SCROLL SO HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FAKE WHAT'S INSIDE IT!"

Naruto gave Sakura a hurt expression before dropping his head in defeat. This had looked so much better in his head. With no other options, it seemed like fighting another team was the only way to get another "Heaven" scroll. They just had to find one within 24 hours.

"Next brilliant idea you get, how about keeping it to yourself. We have enough problems as it is Naruto."

"But wait...we do have a clue of what's inside the "Heaven" scroll. I mean, of course, the "Earth" scroll."

Sakura merely stared at him as though he'd completely lost his mind.

"You wouldn't."

"It may be our only chance. So, I've decided that I'm gonna open and read this scroll."

No sooner had the words left his mouth when Sakura's fist came crashing down ontop of Naruto's head like an anvil, ringing Naruto's bell, and good.

"Naruto, can't you get it through your empty head! Your strictly prohibited from opening the scroll until we get to the tower. Learn to actually follow the rules for once in your life!"

"I know that Sakura-chan! But if we don't do something, we'll never make it!"

Sakura was about to argue back when she realized that Naruto had a point. Sure, this was wrong, but it could actually work, and she sure as hell didn't have any bright ideas. She was going to beat herself up for it later, but Sakura decided to give in and follow Naruto's idea. It was crazy, but just crazy enough to work. Who's to say, this really might be their only chance. Sakura looked at Naruto and nodded, giving him the signal to go ahead. There was no turning back now.

Naruto returned the nod and picked up the "Earth" scroll on the ground beside of him. The blonde stared at it for a few seconds before carefully moving his hand to the flap of paper that was ticking up. There was no telling what would happen if they opened it, so they had to go about this delicately. There was still the possibility that it could have a set trap. Both Naruto and Sakura gulped as they began to sweat profusely. Naruto's hands became sweaty and it felt as though the scroll would slip from his hand at any moment. The temperature seemed to get 10 degrees hotter and time itself seemed to slow down to a crawl. In fact, Naruto could practically hear his heart about to beat itself out his chest. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he began to unfold the scroll little by little, ready for anything. Naruto unfolded the scroll a little more, when suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and a slightly familiar hand clamped overtop of Naruto's, stopping the blonde's actions. Looking over to the left, Naruto and Sakura were surprised beyond belief to see none other than...Kabuto Yakushi. The silver haired boy was knelt down on one knee with his head down, his right clamped tightly over Naruto's.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Kabuto said in a calm tone of voice before lifting his head up and giving both Genin a sideways glance.

'_Kabuto, what's he doing here?' _Both Naruto and Sakura wondered at the same time.

Before Kabuto could say or do anything further, he felt the blade of a sword be pressed against the side of his neck, right at a major artery and cold voice spoke up behind him, almost sending shivers down his spine.

"If you wanna live, I suggest you not make any sudden movements." Sasuke said as he glared down at his adversary.

* * *

A few moments later, Kabuto calmly explained what the situation was or else risk Sasuke cutting him and having him bleed to death. After listening to Kabuto explain, Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and now glared angrily at his two teammates. He'd plainly told them before he left not to do anything stupid.

"I can't believe you guys!" Sasuke yelled angrily.

"If I hadn't of shown up in time..." Kabuto said before letting his voice trail off.

Both Naruto and Sakura were forced to hang their heads in shame, being unable to meet the Uchiha's intense gaze.

"Sorry Sasuke." Sakura apologized.

"Yeah, whatever." Naruto muttered. '_Hmph, Kabuto is such a snitch. What is he even doing all the way out here? This doesn't seem right.'_

"You're not the only ones. There have been others who've broken the rules and tried to peak inside the scrolls. I've seen what happens to them." Kabuto said. "The scrolls are protected by a powerful Hypnosis Jutsu, a kind of booby trap for anyone unwise enough to try and read them. It's so powerful that it will knock you senseless, and by the time you wake up, the exam is over. Anyone who tries to take a peak at the scrolls before they reach the tower is completely screwed."

"Hmm, your name is Kabuto right?" Sasuke asked, getting a nod from Kabuto.

"Yes, we met at the registration."

"Well, what exactly are you doing wandering around here all by yourself?"

Instinctively, Sasuke's hand traveled back to the hilt of his sword in a defensive move. Needless to say, Kabuto noticed this.

"Don't worry, I'm not after your "Earth" scroll." Kabuto said assuringly.

Sasuke stopped and thought about it for a moment.

"Hn, I guess not. I suppose that if you were, you would've just swiped it from Naruto when you had the chance." Sasuke said as he took his hand away from the hilt of his sword. "So...I take it you're looking for an "Earth" scroll too, huh?"

"Actually, no. You see, I already have them both." Kabuto said. As proof, Kabuto reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out both the "Heaven" scroll and the "Earth"scroll for Squad 7 to see. "I guess you could say I had a run of luck. I was just on my way to the tower to wait on my teammates to show up. On the way, I intercepted a team and got lucky. A little ways further, I ran into you guys and saw what your teammates were up to. I couldn't let that happen to you guys, so I stepped in to intervene. Now then, I believe my work here is done."

Without another word, Kabuto turned around and began to casually walk away. As Sasuke watched him, he realized that he was letting a perfect opportunity just walk away. Heh, talk about feeling like a jackass at that moment.

"Hey, wait a moment."

Kabuto stopped walking and turned sideways a little to look Sasuke in the eye. Instead of black eyes, Kabuto came face to face with Sasuke's Sharingan instead. For a moment, they just stared each other down until Sasuke finally spoke up.

"Your "Heaven" scroll...I'll fight you for it."

Another moment of silence, longer than the last one, passed between the two as they stared each other down. However, both were unaware that the Rain ninja that had attacked Squad 7 a few days ago was watching the entire scene unfold from above in the trees. He had not forgotten about the pain Sasuke had put him through and he already had idea on how to kill the Uchiha and take his "Earth" scroll in the process.

"How lucky of me. I finally found you." The Rain ninja, Oboro, said.

Meanwhile, Kabuto and Sasuke continued to stare each down on the ground below. The moment of intense silence continued between them until Kabuto finally turned all the way around and looked Sasuke straight in his Sharingan eyes.

"You wanna fight me. Are you serious?" Kabuto asked.

"Perfectly." Sasuke replied. "Sorry, but I don't have time play nice. We need that scroll, and unlike my two teammates, I'd be more than happy to kill you in order to get it. We hardly know you after all. For me, it would be too easy."

"Sasuke, are you nuts? In case you've forgotten, Kabuto just saved us!" Naruto pointed out angrily.

"Naruto has a point Sasuke. I mean, we don't wanna be ungrateful or any-"

"Shut up." Sasuke said seriously, cutting Sakura off. "It can't be helped, it's either him or us. Out here, it's all about surviving and winning. Nothing else matters!"

Despite Sasuke's burst of anger and intense gaze, Kabuto only scoffed.

"You're lying. C'mon, admit it. For all of your tough talk, your heart really isn't in it. If winning really was the only thing that mattered to you, why go out of your way to challenge me to a fight? In other words, why announce it and put me on my guard? Why not just jump me while my back is turned? After all, that's what a ninja would do." Kabuto said as he pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.

"Damn. That's pretty deep." Naruto commented.

"It's okay. Actually, I admire you for it Sasuke. So, as a show of gratitude, here's what I'll do: I'll show you the path to the tower that you should follow. And I suggest we get going, or it'll be too late. Time we spend here is more time wasted. Also, the smell of that fire you have going there is going to attract wild animals, as well as the competition.

Sasuke thought about Kabuto's words for a moment. In all honesty, he didn't entirely trust this guy like Naruto and Sakura did. For he knew, Kabuto could be leading them into a trap. Although, he did save Naruto and Sakura, so he can't be all bad. Plus, they had no other leads. So for now, Sasuke decided that they would follow him. However, if Kabuto did anything at all that was suspicious, Sasuke would kill him without any second thoughts.

"Alright then. Lead the way_, friend._"

* * *

Hours later, Squad 7 was jumping with Kabuto through the trees of the Forest of Death. By now, the sun was setting and it was getting darker by the minute. Along the way, they had not run into or even sensed any other teams, leading Squad 7 to believe that they were the last ones left. In fact, the forest was quiet for the most part and it seemed as if their movements echoed throughout the entire area. By the time they finally found the path they were looking for, however, the sun had just fallen below the horizon and there was barely any light out. Luckily, Squad 7 stuck close to Kabuto and they managed to find their plan was to wait near the area around the tower and then ambush any team that came by until they found a team that had a "Heaven" scroll. By this time, the are would be crawling with last minute teams, so finding a team to intercept would be easy.

However, the group had to be aware that they were not the only ones thinking of this. Other teams would be doing the same thing, and if they were not careful, Squad 7 and Kabuto would end up getting jumped instead. So to counter that, Naruto summoned the same chameleon that had helped him cheat off of Hinata's test during the first part of the exams. This time, however, he had the chameleon perch itself on his shoulder and face backwards. Using the Rinnegan's shared vision ability, Naruto could now see both forwards and behind him, thanks to the chameleon. Kabuto and Squad 7 walked on for another hour before sky became fully dark and the full moon now shone brightly in the sky, making the tower look like nothing more than a silhouette.

"Alright, we made it this far." Kabuto said as he looked around. "Now here comes the hard part: waiting for a team to come by and successfully surprise them."

"Alright then! Bring em on!" Naruto exclaimed as he pumped his fist up into the air.

As Sakura opened her mouth to reprimand Naruto for being so loud, she suddenly sensed a presence move somewhere behind her.

"Something's behind us!" Sakura announced as she pointed.

Acting on instinct, Naruto pulled out one of his custom-made kunai, and hurled it at the spot where Sakura was pointing. Instead of hitting a person like Naruto and the others had hoped, they instead came to find out that it was a giant centipede that had gotten pinned to a tree. The centipede continued to struggle a bit more in an attempt to free itself, however, it gave up and promptly died a few seconds later.

"Nevermind, false alarm. It was only a centipede." Naruto said.

"What do you mean **just **a centipede! That thing is as big as a bus!" Sakura argued.

Before she could say more, Kabuto held up a hand to silence her.

"Hey Naruto, do us a favor and try to keep it down will you?" Kabuto said calmly. "You see, the whole point is not to let anyone know we're here. If you go crashing through the forest like an elephant, you're going to attract other hiding teams to us like flies to honey. The whole point is to find them before they find us."

"Uhhhh...yeah, sorry." Naruto apologized, glad that his face mask hid his blush.

"Alright then. Everyone, let's move. We don't wanna stick around here for very long."

And so, Squad 7, along with Kabuto continued on. Along the way, they had some close run-ins with enemy traps, but luckily, all of them got though without a scratch. After Naruto sent out some clones to make sure there were traps, the group continued to walk...and on and on. Finally, after walking for 5 and half ours straight, Sakura could no longer go on. Her feet had long become sore, but she had merely ignored the pain. Now, she could no longer put it aside and she could no longer bring herself to walk another step. Finally exhausted, Sakura collapsed to her knees.

"For crying out loud! How long have we been walking?" Sakura asked, almost completely spent. "That tower isn't getting closer at all!"

No sooner had the words left Sakura's mouth when something in Naruto's head clicked. Looking up at the tower, the blonde realized the tower looked the exact same distance away since they started, Despite how long the group had been walking, the tower look at all closer. It was almost as if the tower was...moving away for every step they took.

"Hey yeah! Now that you mention it, the tower looks as though its the same distance away since from when we started!" Naruto agreed.

"Hmmm, it would appear that we have been spotted." Kabuto said with a serious look. "If you don't know what I mean, then look behind you. Does **that **ring any bells?"

Squad 7 turned around and almost fell back from complete disbelief. Behind them was none other than the giant centipede that Naruto had pinned to a tree. This whole time, they hadn't gotten anywhere! It was like for the past 5 and half hours, they had been walking in place! However, that couldn't be. They had definitely been making progress not too long ago, so they must have somehow winded up back here just now!

"The fuck?" Naruto said, bewildered. "How did we get back here? We were moving forward! I know we were!"

"Hn. This can only be one thing: genjutsu." Sasuke said as he narrowed his eyes.

"Yep, and we fell for it completely." Kabuto agreed. "I've already figured it out. We were so concerned about being seen by another team before we were ready, that we didn't even realize that were were walking around in circles."

"But how does this help anything?" Sakura asked.

"Well, honestly, you're the answer to that Sakura." Kabuto replied. "The whole point of this genjutsu is to have us walk around in circles until we become physically exhausted. After that, they plan to move in take us out in one fell swoop."

"So when you say "exhausted", you mean like we are right now?" Sasuke asked.

"Precisely, and something tell me it won't be long before they show themselves."

As if right on cue, Naruto sensed movement all around him and his friends. Slowly, one by one, the enemy revealed themselves as they emerged from the trees. There seemed to be hundreds of them, and from the symbol on their forehead protectors, Naruto became aware that they were from Amegakure, The Village Hidden in the Rain. They each wore the same straight jacket-like outfit that Oboro wore, except they were black. Also, all of the clones had a bandage going across both of their eyes, which should've prevented them from seeing. Lastly, all of them had brown hair, tan skin, a strange breathing device was over their mouths, and a kunai was in each of their right hands. They surrounded Squad 7 and Kabuto like zombies and poised their kunai.

"Well Naruto, I believe you said you wanted a fight didn't you?" Sasuke asked coolly as he activated his Sharingan.

"Yeah, 4 vs 100. I like those numbers." Naruto replied as he activated his Rinnegan and dispersed the chameleon on his shoulder. "Luckily for you guys, I have just the jutsu for this occasion."

"We know, the Shadow Clone Jutsu." Sakura said in an unimpressed tone.

"Actually, no. I had something else in mind."

At hearing that, Sakura gaped at Naruto in shock. The Shadow Clone Jutsu was Naruto's signature technique. Whenever a situation like this presented itself, Naruto would always create a crapload of shadow clones and send them into battle. For him to have another jutsu in mind was difficult to imagine. Before Sakura could ask him what he had in mind, one of the clones began to speak.

"Heheheheh, cornered like a bunch of rats." the clone said, it's voice distorted by the breathing device over it's mouth. "Hand over you scroll and do as we say. If you cooperate, we'll let you live. We have you outnumbered, so I suggest you make it easier for yourself and surrender."

"You have us outnumbered huh? Well then, why don't I even up the numbers." Naruto said as he pulled an orange scroll from his left pocket. Unfolding it, Naruto bit his thumb and marked the center of the scroll with his blood. Then, he rapidly went through a large series of hand seals while still holding the scroll, his hands moving too fast for the normal eye to keep up.

'_The speed of his hand seals...it's beyond belief! Is this the power of the Rinnegan?' _Kabuto said as he watched Naruto go through the hand seals as though they were second nature. In all of his years, he'd never seen someone's hands move that fast.

"Ninja Art: Dead Soul Jutsu" Naruto said as he finally finished going through the hand seals.

At first nothing happened, but suddenly, without warning, a gloved hand shot up from the ground. It waved around in the air frantically before another hand shot up beside of it, and together, they began to pull the body of which they were attached to up from the ground. With moments, Squad 7 and Kabuto were looking at what appeared to be a zombie Anbu Black Ops ninja. The only thing different was its eyes, which glowed red. It moaned as it moved back and forth on its legs, as though testing them out. Soon, hundreds of hand shot up from the ground as the zombies began to pull themselves up. They moaned and groaned as they emerged, letting out inhuman cries. Cries of the dead. With in a few moments, the number if zombie Anbu equaled the number of Rain ninja clones.

"I believe this evens the playing field, don't you think?" Naruto asked arrogantly.

'_What? Where did Naruto-kun learn this?_' Sakura thought to herself.

'_Impossible! How does Naruto know all of these jutsu? He may very well have more jutsu than even Kakashi!' _Sasuke thought to himself in frustration.

"W-W-What is this!" one of the Rain ninja clones asked in horror.

"Do you like it? It's called the Dead Soul Jutsu. It's a forbidden jutsu that allows me to reanimate the corpses that kept within this scroll by allowing their hearts to be once more. After that, I can control the reanimated corpses with my chakra and have them do whatever I want. I wanted to use this at just the right moment, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity." Naruto explained as he put the scroll away. "Now, enough talk! Let's do this!"

Naruto made a couple more hand seal, and with that, the zombies pulled out the swords which were strapped to their backs and attacked! They clashed with the Rain ninja clones, filling the entire forest with the sounds of steel meeting steel. In only a few moments, the clearing Squad 7 and Kabuto stood in had become a massive battlefield. Everywhere, body parts and blood flew through the air. The zombies had their arms and heads cut off, but still kept coming at the enemy anyway. Soon, the rest of Squad 7 and Kabuto joined the fight as well. However, as Naruto pulled out a kunai and lopped off a clone's arm, he noticed they appeared to be made of a tar-like substance. Also, the arm that Naruto had cut off actually grew back in only a few moments.

"What the hell! What are these things made of?"Naruto asked out loud. "Damn it! It looks the Dead Soul Jutsu is useless here!"

Sure enough, the zombies were being cut down all around him. No matter how many times they slashed at the clones, the clones kept regenerating back together. The only way to destroy the clones was to destroy them completely. Otherwise, they would just keep coming back. Wait a moment...destroy them completely?...

That's it!

Wasting no time, Naruto went through another set of hand seals, causing the remaining zombie Anbu, which there were still plenty of, to stop for a moment. Reaching a shaky, gloved hand up, the zombies removed their animal masks to reveal their horribly decomposed faces. Letting out hideous, inhuman snarls, the zombies charged forward again with bursts of speed and this time, instead of cutting the clones to pieces with their swords, the zombie Anbu...ate them. They tackled the clones to the ground and mobbed them in huge numbers as they bit off pieces of the clones and devoured them. The clones lashed out, but the zombies took the blows as though they were not there. Faster than you could snap you fingers, the tide of battle had turned yet again! Finally, the number of clones was decreasing and at a rapid rate! Feeling renewed confidence overwhelm them, Squad 7 and Kabuto fought on. Suddenly, one of the clones hurled a kunai through the air, slicing a zombie's head open and grazing Kabuto's shoulder as it whizzed by. At first, Kabuto was able to ignore the injury. However, it quickly began to become worse and Kabuto was forced to his knees in pain.

"Kabuto! Goddamn you!" Naruto shouted as he cut off the head of the clone who'd thrown it. "Something isn't right! The fact that Kabuto and my zombies are being injured is proof that these are actual shadow clones, but shadow clones are supposed to disperse when they take a good hit. However, these things obviously aren't doing that! What gives? These clones aren't made of any substance I'm familiar with!"

"Naruto, listen! You have to call off the zombies! These clones are just illusions!" Sasuke shouted as he dodged an attack from one of the clones. "Call off the zombies now!"

"How can they be illusions? That gash of Kabuto's shoulder is real." Sakura pointed out.

"That's true, but Sasuke is right." Kabuto said as he rose to his feet while holding his shoulder. "More than likely, the real enemy is hiding in the shadows nearby, throwing real attacks from behind the smokescreen of the illusion and coordinating their movements with the fake clones. That way, we'd be fooled into believing that these genjutsu clones are the real targets. Now, do as Sasuke-san said an call the zombies off Naruto."

Naruto gave an exasperated sigh and canceled the jutsu. Immediately, the zombie Anbu stopped and fell lifelessly to the ground before dispersing in puffs of smoke. Now, only the fake clones, Squad 7, and Kabuto remained in the clearing. Meanwhile, Team Oboro watched from the shadows in frustration.

"Shit! We've been found out." Mubi said, his only visible eye narrowing in anger.

"Don't worry. They just got lucky." Oboro reassured him. "Luckily, their luck is about to run out."

After receiving a conformation nod from Oboro, Kagari reached inside his weapons pouch, pulling out a handful of kunai and throwing them at just the right moments, forcing Squad 7 to dodge them or risk taking serious injury. Finally, after a short while or dodging kunai after kunai, Naruto was finally given time to focus more of his chakra to his eyes.

'_Rinnegan!'_

By focusing more power to his eyes, Naruto was able to utilize the full power of his ocular kekkei genkai. As though a filter had been moved over his eyes, Naruto's everything in Naruto's line of sight turned black while form of chakra turned white and with a chalky outline. At that moment, Naruto was now looking at the world through the Rinnegan's vision. As Naruto looked around, he noticed that the illusion clones did not show up in his vision at all, meaning that Kabuto and Sasuke had been right. Looking around some more, Naruto saw the chakra of his friends and Kabuto, but also something else. Looking within the tree, Naruto saw three other chakra signatures.

'_That's them! I finally found you bastards!' _

Raising his hand to the spot where the three chakra signatures were, Naruto began to concentrate his chakra.

"Banshō Ten'in!" Naruto shouted.

Focusing the point of gravity to the palm of his hand, Naruto began to pull matter toward him with the force of gravity. Steadily, he began to increase the force of the gravitational pull until, finally, Team Oboro was ripped from the hiding place by an unseen force. Exposed, they were now on their stomachs in the clearing in front of Squad 7 and Kabuto.

"Nice of you to finally join us." Naruto said in a threatening tone as his vision returned to normal.

"What thee hell? What did you just do!" Oboro demanded.

"It's a jutsu called Banshō Ten'in. It's a Rinnegan ability which is the exact opposite if Shinra Tensei, in which gravity pulls things toward me rather than away from me. Using the vision of the Rinnegan and locating where the kunai were coming from, I was able to pinpoint your exact location. Handy, isn't it?"

"But then...how did you know where we were? We made sure we were completely hidden!" Mubi said angrily.

"Simple. It's called _Rinnegan Vision_. You see, the Rinnegan can see chakra as well, just like the Sharingan, but to a much greater degree. It can see through the shadows as well as pinpoint the location of chakra signatures. To the normal eye, you were invisible, but to the Rinnegan, you might as well be out in the open."

As Kagari listened to Naruto explain, the rage within him grew and grew. This Genin, this _rookie, _was making fools out of all 3 of them! They were considered to be one of the best team out of Amegakure, and this kid was showing them up and making a mockery of them. Now, he eve had the nerve to gloat about his power, and in front of them at that! The added embarrassment only made Kagari's anger grow until he couldn't hold it any longer.

"That's it! Those eyes of yours have officially pissed me off!" Kagari screamed as his rage took over.

"No Kagari! Stop!" Oboro yelled. However, it was already too late.

As Kagari charged at Naruto, Naruto went through a couple of hand seals and felt the familiar tingle as his right hand became an almost black color as hardened into a quality that was harder than any substance found on Earth. Rushing forward with impressive speed of his own, Naruto through a hard right hook that caught Kagari right between the eyes, as though he'd run into a brick wall. The punch was so powerful that it almost broke Kagari's neck as head snapped back from the hit, sending him sprawling back into his teammates.

'_Damn it. We can't take this kid on like this, he's way too strong. Then again, taijutsu never was our strong point.' _Mubi said as helped Oboro lift an unsteady Kagari to his feet.

'_I need to follow up here. This is taking too much time and the sun is starting to rise. It's time to end this here and now!' _Naruto said as he took a deep breath and went through a long series of hand seals with rapid speed. Alarmed, Team Oboro recognized the series of hand seals realized what Naruto was about to do.

"Oh no you don't! You're not calling those things again!" Mubi exclaimed as he charged forward with a kunai. However, Sasuke moved with impressive speed of his own and landed a sharp elbow to Mubi's forehead, knocking him a safe distance from Naruto and allowing the blonde to complete the hand seals.

"Ninja Art: Dead Soul Jutsu"

Just like before, numerous gloved hands shot up from the ground before the zombies themselves emerged. They staggered forward, moaning and groaning as they eyes glowed a bright, fiery red. After Naruto made a couple more hand seals, the zombies pulled their sword from the sheath on their backs and charged forward. Team Oboro knew they were going to lose, but they fought anyway, just like it had been drilled into their heads while back in Amegakure. They gave it their all and managed to cut down at least 30 of the zombie Anbu before they were overwhelmed by the numbers. Sadly, Kagari was the first to fall. One of the zombie Anbu managed to slash him across the back, causing pain to shoot throughout his entire body and stunning him. Like sharks smelling blood in the water, the other zombies moved. They slashed and impaled Kagari with their swords at different parts of his body before one them finsihed the Rain ninja off by slicing off his head with one quick swipe.

Mubi was the next to fall. After Naruto made a couple of different hand seals, the zombies stopped their assault and sunk underground as though they had stepped into quicksand. Within moments, the zombies were gone. At first believing Naruto to have canceled the jutsu, Mubi had just started to gloat when the hands shot up again, this time grabbing his ankles. Then, to Mubi's horror, they began to pull him down. Panicked, Mubi slashed at the hands with his kunai, but more hands shot up to replace them. Soon, the actual, zombie Anbu emerged from the ground part way to grab Mubi's arms, disabling him from using the kunai. There were simply to many of them to fight off. Then, to end it all, one of the larger zombie Anbu sprang up from the ground and pounced on Mubi, succeeding in forcing him down. Oboro was forced to watch in horror as Mubi was dragged down to his grave...and devoured. Even now, Oboro could still hear his screams.

"M-M-Mubi? K-Kagari?...nooooo! You little shit! Do you know what you've-" Oboro stopped his rant when he realized that Naruto was no longer even there. The only ones there were the rest of Squad 7 and Kabuto, who were still in shock over what had just happened. "Where the hell did he go? Tell me now or die!"

Instead of responding verbally, Sakura pointed to something behind him. Turning around, Oboro eyes widened in shock to see Naruto and a Naruto shadow clone rushing toward him. Between the both of them was larger and more powerful version of the Rasengan. By the time Oboro made a move to avoid the attack, it was already to too late.

'_He's...too fast for me.'_

"*Oodama Rasengan!" Naruto and his shadow clone said in unison as they slammed the giant Rasengan into Oboro.

As the Rasengan came into contact with Oboro's body, the result was a massive and brilliant explosion. Pain coursed throughout Oboro's body as his muscles, tendons, and arteries were violently torn apart. The pain was so excruciating that Oboro could not even scream. Blood shot out from his mouth as the explosion died down and Oboro's destroyed body collapsed to the ground in a heap in the middle of giant crater. Seeing that Oboro had been incapacitated, the rest of Squad 7 and Kabuto moved in to see th remains of their enemy. Oboro's entire body was covered in bloody gashes and dark bruises. Even some of the bones stuck up under the skin in horrible looking protrusions. It didn't take a genius to be able to tell that Oboro would never move, ever again. Laying on his back, Oboro slowly opened his eyes and gazed up at Naruto and the others.

"I...was...unlucky. In my...pocket...is...my..."H-Heaven"...scroll. T-Take...it. Y-You...earned...it." As the last word left his mouth, Oboro's eyes rolled up in his head...and he died, the Rinnegan being the last thing he saw.

As a last show of respect, Naruto reached down and closed Oboro's eyes before saying a small prayer.

* * *

A few moments later, the sun was shining brightly in the sky and Naruto, along with Sasuke , Sakura, and Kabuto, were taking a moment to rest. After a few minutes, Naruto and Sakura finally went back over to Oboro's corpse and rummaged around his pockets until they finally found what they were looking for: Team Oboro's "Heaven" scroll.

"Found it Sakura-chan. It was in his left pocket." Naruto said as he held it up for Sakura to see. Smiling, Sakura leaned over and gave Naruto a peck on the cheek.

"Nice job Naruto-kun. By the way, you looked amazing out there! I didn't know you could do something like that!" Sakura exclaimed. "You have to show me how to do that Dead Soul Jutsu thing!"

"Yeah, but I kinda wish that we could've met these guys under different circumstances. Who knows, maybe this could've ended differently." Naruto said as he put the "Heaven" scroll in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Kabuto and Sasuke were resting under the shade of a large tree. The two of them had been sitting there under the tree, enjoying the peace and quiet of nature while it lasted, when Kabuto noticed the Curse Mark on the backside of Sasuke's neck.

"Hey Sasuke, what's that mark on your neck? Is it a bruise?' Kabuto asked.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Sasuke replied as he moved his hand to cover up the Curse Mark. He wasn't in the mood to answer any questions right now.

Seeing Naruto finish off Team Oboro all on his own had caused that envious feeling to rise up within Sasuke again. With every battle, Naruto would reveal a new jutsu that would turn the tide of battle and Sasuke envied him for that. This time, it took longer for the envious feeling to go away, and Sasuke actually found himself glaring at Naruto without even realizing it! Sasuke really didn't mean to, honest he didn't, but he couldn't help it. Naruto had the kind of strength he wanted, no, **needed**. If he was going to kill Itachi one day, he'd need to surpass Naruto in strength. And Orochimaru did say that this Curse Mark thing was supposed to help him reach that goal. If he could learn to control it, then the Curse Mark would actually turn out to be a gift rather than an actual curse.

"Hey Sasuke, Kabuto! We got it!" Naruto yelled as he ran over, waving the "Heaven" scroll above his head excitedly. Upon reaching Sasuke, Naruto threw his arms around the Uchiha and hugged the boy tightly before pulling away and grinning triumphantly. "Did you see me teme? I got us a "Heaven" scroll."

'_Yeah, I saw you alright.'_ Sasuke said to himself in a malicious tone, but then immediately felt guilty. Naruto hadn't really done anything wrong after all and he just wanted Sasuke to be proud of him.

"Yes, I saw you. You did excellent out there." Sasuke said while ruffling Naruto's hair. "But we need to get a move on. Time is almost up and it would be a shame if this was all for nothing."

"He's right. The tower isn't too far from here, so let's get a move on." Kabuto said.

Everyone nodded as he began to lead the way.

* * *

After traveling for about an hour, Squad 7 and Kabuto finally arrived at one of the set of red double doors that led into the tower. Nobody else was around at the moment and the 4 seemed to be only ones in the area. Everything was strangely quiet and the only was the grass and leaves as the swayed in the gently blowing wind. After a only a few moments, however, two figures began to emerge from the forest before stepping into the sunlight. Both of them wore dark purple outfits and a dark purple bandanna covered their mouths. Also, both of them wore another purple bandanna around their foreheads, which displayed a swirl pattern, thereby identifying the two as Leaf shinobi. The only difference between the two was that one of them had slightly darker skin and wore black sunglasses.

"Kabuto, there you are." the one with black sunglasses said. "We were wondering if you'd gotten lost."

"Sorry, I got a little sidetracked. After all, I couldn't let my friends be left behind." Kabuto answered, pointing his thumb at Squad 7 behind him.

"And Boy are we glad you did decide to help us. If wasn't for you, me and Sakura would've opened the scrolls and we would've been screwed. Plus, you helped us find a "Heaven" scroll too." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Not really. I merely showed you where to go. The rest, you did yourself, especially you Naruto. You were outstanding!" Kabuto congratulated. Unknowingly, Sasuke began to grit his teeth in jealousy.

"Well, this is the door that me and my team have to go through. So long and good luck to us both." Kabuto said just as his team entered through the double doors beside of the ones that Squad 7 was supposed to go through.

Naruto gave and thumbs up before turning and pushing through his team's set of double doors, Sasuke and Sakura following right behind. After making sure that Squad 7 was far enough inside, Kabuto and his team walked through their own set of double doors. Immediately upon entering, a familiar raspy voice greeted him and his team.

"A good harvest?" the owner of the voice said.

"Oh yeah. In fact, it was even better than I expected." Kabuto answered with a smirk before holding a ninja info card. "I learned a lot about both him **and **the Rinnegan Master during the second exam. And I recorded all of the data. Everything you need to know is all in this card. Unfortunately, I was not able to record all of the Rinnegan Master's abilities since he did not reveal them all. So do you want the card?"

"Of course. By the way, what did you think of him?" Orochimaru asked as he stepped forth and took the card from Kabuto.

"Heh, your curiosity is truly insatiable...Lord Orochimaru."

"Hn. As a Sound Village spy, you see things that others don't Kabuto. So of course, your opinion of great interest to me."

"Come now Lord Orochimaru. Does my opinion really matter. After all, you decide what actually happens. Isn't that the way it always works out?"

"Hahaha, you're a cheeky one Kabuto. I guess that's what I like about you. Excellent work on your surveillance by the way."

Before disappearing in a puff of smoke, Orochimaru walked forward a little more and kissed Kabuto passionately on the lips. Moments after Orochimaru had already disappeared, Kabuto blushed and licked his lips in satisfaction.

*******=Giant Rasengan.**

******Okay everyone, this concludes this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and be sure to review and let me know what you think. In the next chapter, the Preliminaries finally begin! How will these turn out, stay tuned and find out. By the way, now that summer is finally here, I'll be able to post a lot more often so you won't have to wait as long. I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far and I hope you keep in touch. By for now.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. **

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 31**

Naruto led the way as he and his team walked through the double doors and entered their designated room. Although, it wasn't the size of the room that surprised them, nor was it the way the wind suddenly picked up outside, as if in protest of their arrival. No, what amazed them...was how quiet it was. Squad 7 had expected to walk into a room full of other people who'd made it through the second exam. However, it seemed as though they were the only ones in the entire tower! It was so quiet, in fact, that not only could Squad 7 hear the wind howling outside, but they could hear each other's soft breathing. The deathly quietness put all three Leaf shinobi on edge, as though they expected something to happen at any moment. When nothing happened, Squad 7 reluctantly let their guards down. As they took a look around the spacious room, a mirror on a wall at the end of the room caught their attention. The mirror was huge, taking up nearly the entire wall, and on it, was a message inscribed in kanji letters. Intrigued, Squad 7 moved in to take a closer look. Perhaps this message would tell them what to do next.

"If qualities in "Heaven" are you desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. If Earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. When Heaven and Earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever. This _ is the secret way which guides us from this place today." Sakura said as she read the message out loud.

"This what?" Naruto asked quizzically.

"I think it's about the scrolls." Sakura replied. "I believe we're supposed to open the "Heaven" & "Earth" scrolls now."

Nodding, Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out the two scrolls, one blue and the other white. Sakura reached over and took the white scroll, marked "Heaven", and Naruto accepted the blue scroll, marked "Earth". Now all they had to do was open the scrolls and read them, right? WRONG! For upon getting ready to open them, the same nervousness that gripped Naruto and Sakura the first time returned full force. They had not forgotten what Kabuto had said, about the scrolls being guard by a Hypnosis Jutsu. What if that was still effect? What if they weren't supposed to open the scrolls just yet and the jutsu activated? If that happened, then all of their hard work would've been for nothing. As these possibilities ran through their heads, both Naruto and Sakura broke out into a sweat and the room temperature seemed to increase by 20 degrees. Naruto gulped and brought a trembling, sweaty hand to the fold that sticking up. All he had to do now was unfold the rest of the scroll.

"Alright, here's goes nothing." Naruto said.

Sakura gave a reassuring nod, and together, the two shinobi unfolded the scrolls all the way, revealing the contents inside. Fortunately, the Hypnosis Jutsu didn't activate and the members of Squad 7 let out the breaths that didn't know they had been holding. Getting over their nervousness quickly, Squad 7 looked down and began to analyze the information written down. The first thing all three members noticed was that both scrolls had what appeared to be jutsu formula written around the same kanji character. In fact, both scrolls had the exact same information written on them! Needless to say, the air around Squad 7 that was once thick with adrenaline was now filled with utter confusion.

"Huh? What the hell does this mean?" Naruto asked as he turned the scroll every which-way, as if that would help him understand it better.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Sakura replied after letting out am exasperated sigh. '_Honestly, this is what we were so worked up about? Man do I feel like a jackass.'_

Suddenly, the kanji in the middle of the jutsu formula began to bulge until it stuck up and smoke began to rise up from the top, making it resemble an active, miniature volcano. Alarmed, Sasuke instantly realized what it was and moved into action.

"This is...a summoning jutsu!" Sasuke announced in an alarmed tone. "Naruto, Sakura! Quick, get rid of the scrolls!"

Not needing to be told twice. both Naruto and Sakura heaved the scrolls against the wall as hard as they could, and just in the nick of time. For no sooner had the two teammates thrown the scrolls away when they fully activated. A large cloud of smoke appeared, momentarily blinding Squad 7 as it hung in the air. A few moments later, as the smoke began to dissipate, Squad 7 was able to recognize the silhouette of man standing in the spot where the scrolls had been discarded. Finally, once the smoke had cleared all the way, the members of Squad 7 let out gasps of surprise as the man that stood before them was none other than...Iruka Umino!

Their former teacher stood there in front of them with his arms crossed and his head down, a knowing and familiar smile plastered on his lips.

"Oh...it's you" Sasuke said in an unimpressed tone.

"Hey guys. Long time no see, huh?" Iruka said after lifting his head up and opening his eyes.

"Iruka...sensei?" Sakura said questioningly.

"Yep, the one and only."

"Wait a minute, I'm confused." Naruto said. "What's up with the surprise entrance and why and did you appear in the summoning? I mean, what gives?"

"Well, at the end of the second exam, we Chunin are supposed to welcome the test takers back. With that being said, I suppose it was just good luck that I got to be one given the important task of being the messenger for **you** guys."

After explaining the reason for his appearance, Iruka reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a stop watch. Iruka flipped it open, and after a minute, his smile grew even more to the point where his teeth showed just a little.

"Well whaddya know? It looks like you guys finished just in time!" Iruka said happily as he closed the stopwatch and put it back in his pocket. "And now...congratulations! Squad 7, you've now passed the second exam! Now, before we move on, I have to explain the meaning of the message written on the mirror behind me."

"Yeah, I was just about to ask about that." Sakura said.

"Oh c'mon sensei! We've already passed the exam, so why does that message even matter?" Naruto asked.

"Well, honestly, it's another one of my duties as an exam proctor. Anyway, the message you see written on the mirror are instructions Lord Hokage recorded as principals that a Chunin should follow. "Heaven" stands for your mind and "Earth"stands for your body. If qualities of "Heaven" are your desire, then acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. In other words, if your weakness lies in your intellect, then you have to make sure that you work hard to learn all the information and skills that you need to prepare for your missions. If Earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. That means that if your weakness lies in your physical strength, then you have to make sure that you work on your physical condition every single day so that it improves all of the time."

"When "Heaven" & "Earth" are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever. Meaning, if your mind and body are working together as one, then even a very dangerous mission can become an easy one."

"But sensei, what about the part that's missing?" Sakura asked. "In the message, their a missing kanji letter. What is that one supposed to be?"

"Oh, that? Well, that part is meant for all of you to fill in. See this symbol on the scroll? (_Iruka points to a kanji letter in the jutsu formula.) _It's the character for person, a reference to you as Chunin. You see, these five days of survival were to test your abilities as Chunin and to see if you'd be any good. And I have to say, you guys did magnificently! A Chunin is a leader, a guide. It's a Chunin's responsibility to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of those serving under him or her and to know what skills or training those ninja are going to need in order to succeed on a mission. You all did an excellent job on this mission and I hope you take these instructions to heart in the future.

"Well, that's it. That was everything I was supposed to say. Now then, I want you all to follow me. I'll take you to the room where everyone else is. Be sure to keep your eyes on the person in front of you, as it's easy to get lost in this place."

* * *

15 minutes later, after Iruka had shown them the way to go, Squad 7 emerged through another set of double doors and found themselves in an even larger room. I fact, this room made the room that they were just in look small by comparison! The floor was huge and seemed to go for miles and miles. On either side of Squad 7 was a pair of steps that led up to a balcony which overlooked the entire floor. Finally, at the end of the room, was a giant statue of two hands forming the "Ram" hand seal. After putting two & two together, it didn't take Squad 7 long to realize that this was an arena...a battle arena. Squad 7 gave the room one last observing glance before moving forward and joining the large crowd of candidates in the center of the massive floor.

"Naruto-kun! You made it!" Ino said excitedly as she and the rest of Squad 10 walked over to greet them. Naruto twirled around in a circle as Ino captured him a tight hug, making her giggle again like at the registration room. As Naruto set her back down, she became aware of Naruto's new hairstyle. Out of curiosity, Ino reached behind Naruto and grabbed his long, shaggy pony tail. "Wow Naruto-kun, your hair is as long as mine is! How did this happen?"

"Oh, well, it's a side effect of using a particular jutsu. Unfortunately, it's stuck like this." Naruto explained as Ino let his pony tail go.

"Whaddya mean "unfortunately"? I, for one, think it looks sexy."

"Would you back the fuck off! Naruto-kun doesn't want you touching his hair with your filthy ass hands. No telling where they've been!" Sakura snapped seriously. She hated it when Ino hung all over Naruto like that. '_Honestly, give him some breathing room! He just got here after all!'_

"Fuck you forehead! Last time I checked, you weren't the boss of me." Ino shot back.

"Well keep your hands off of my teammates or else I'm gonna bitch slap you into next week you little whore!"

"Then slap me bitch!"

As the two females argued back and forth, Shikamaru, Choji, Sasuke, and Naruto let out exasperated sighs. This happened almost time the two were around each other. If something didn't happen in the next few minutes, the two would arguing like this until one of them finally threw the first punch, then it's be a done deal. Luckily though, Squad 8 showed up just in time.

"Sup guys! Glad to see you all made it." Kiba said excitedly. "Heh, it looks like the Rookie 9 are back together again. How bout that?"

"Hey N-Naruto-kun. Um...um...I like your h-hairstyle." Hinata said shyly upon walking up to Naruto and the others.

"Thanks Hinata-chan. I'm glad you like it." Naruto replied.

The blonde haired ninja was about to say more when he finally noticed Shino standing beside Hinata. Funny, he'd been standing there the entire time and Naruto hadn't noticed him until just now. It was one of the many reasons why Naruto found Shino to be beyond creepy.

"Oh...uh...hey Shino." Naruto said slowly.

"..."

Shino didn't give a verbal response. Instead, he took his right hand out of his coat pocket and gave a simple wave.

'_Jesus Christ! Could this guy be anymore creepy? I don't see how Hinata-chan manages to put up with him!'_

Suddenly, all activity and conversations within the massive arena stopped when a huge puff of smoke erupted from in front of the large hand statues. All eyes were drawn to the front as the large puff of smoke began to dissipate before dissipating fully, revealing the Third Hokage and the rest of the exam proctors. After making sure that they had all of the candidates' undivided attention, Anko Mitarashi cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Congratulations to all of you who have managed to pass the second exam!" Anko announced proudly. '_Heh, I still can't believe this. Originally, there were 78 ninja who took that exam and now only 21 of them actually made it. Frankly, I knew that less than half of them would make it, but I figured that number would be in the single digits. I guess Ibiki wasn't lying. This year's group really is exceptional._

"I looks like your team is still around Kakashi. I guess they got lucky." Guy said as he looked over the remaining candidates. "Of course, with my team around, your team is doomed to fail. After all, what matters on the next test is ability and we've got you far outclassed. Well, I guess part of growing up is learning to deal with failure, eh Kakashi?"

At first, Kakashi continued to stare straight ahead until he finally took notice that he was being spoken too.

"Huh? Did you say something Guy?" Kakashi asked, causing Guy to fall over anime style.

'_Alright Kakashi, you win this round! But that's only because you act so cool! No matter, cause there's no way you're going to get the best of me!' _Guy thought heatedly as he picked himself up off the floor. Kakashi never failed to get his blood boiling.

Meanwhile, Neji Hyuga took a moment to glance over all that remained of his competition. Honestly, he could truthfully say that was pleased with what he saw. Everyone whom he considered a threat was here. As Neji took a look a round, only three people caught his all seeing eye.

'_It looks like only the best are here, including you, Sasuke Uchiha. Of course he'd make it, considering the Uchiha Clan was one of the most elite battle clans in the history of the Leaf Village. Then there's that boy with the Rinnegan, Naruto I believe he said his name was. I can't wait to see what that Rinnegan of his can do. I've heard so much about it, and now I finally get to see it for myself. Then there's...him. That boy from the Nara Clan. Who **is **he?' _

"Alright everyone, pay attention! Lord Hokage will now explain the third exam to you! You all had better show some respect and listen carefully maggots!" Anko exclaimed. Everyone nodded and turned their eyes to the elderly village leader. "Lord Hokage, their all yours."

Hiruzen nodded and stepped forward until he stood directly in front of everyone so that they all could see. What he was about to tell them was very important and it would clear up any questions that he was sure they all had.

"As said before, congratulations to all you who have made it this far. Now, before I explain the third exam, I want to explain something about the test itself. Listen closely now, for it is something that all of you need to understand. What I am about to tell you is the true the purpose of these exams. First, I ask you all: Why do you think we hold these exams in conjunction with our allies?"

When nobody was able to answer after a couple of minutes, the Hokage continued speaking.

"It is to raise the ability levels of the shinobi and increase friendship between allied nations to be sure, but it's important that you understand it's true meaning. The exams are, so to speak, a representation of the battle between those allied nations. Now, if we look at our history, all of the countries that we're allied with were once neighboring nations that continuously fought with each other for power. In order to avoid destroying each other's military strength meaninglessly, those nations picked champions to do battle on behalf of their countries on a mutually selected location. That was how the Chunin Selection Exams originally began."

"Well that's great and all, but we why do we have to go through these exams then? I mean, it's not like we're doing this to pick Chunin to go fight." Naruto pointed out.

"Well, actually Naruto, there is no question that part of the point of these exams is to select shinobi worthy of becoming Chunin, but that's just not the whole story. These exams also allow for a place where shinobi can carry the pride of their nation on their backs and fight against other ninja for their very lives. You see, many leaders and people of prominence from various countries are invited to attend this exam as guests and also to possibly seek shinobi to work for them. This exam could determine the course of your ninja work from here on out. More importantly, those rulers will watch over your battles and take note of the strengths that each nation is developing. If there is a gap in power between the countries, strong nations are inundated with job requests for their ninja. Therefore, the stronger our nation is, the better our position when it comes to negotiating with neighboring countries. So it is important to show how much military strength our village has."

"Okay, well I understand that. But why we do we have to risk our lives?" Kiba asked angrily.

"Another good question. You see, the village's strength is the shinobi's strength. The true strength of the shinobi is only achieved when it's pushed to its limits, such as in a life and death battle. This exam is a chance for each nation to display the strength of their shinobi, and hence, the strength of the nation itself. It's because this is an exam where your life is on the line, that it has meaning. It's for this very reason that for the strength of the nation, that your forerunners fought in this exam. It's truly a dream worth striving for."

"But then...why did you use the expression "friendship" before" Tenten asked confusedly.

"Ah, but you've only remembered half of what I said. You also mustn't have the wrong idea of the exam's meaning. This is a custom in which balance is preserved by fighting and dying. In the world of the shinobi, that _is_ "friendship". The third exam is a fight for your life with the pride of your village and your own dreams at stake."

All was quiet as the remaining candidates took a moment to take in everything that Hiruzen had just said. When it came to these exams, everything was at stake: their hopes, dreams, their future, the pride of their village, and even their very lives were on the line. Damn, talk about putting on the pressure!

"Heh, well he sure convinced me." Naruto muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest confidently.

"Any test is fine. Just tell me what the details of the third exam are already. I can handle anything you throw at me." Gaara said. Although the redhead appeared calm on the inside, he was giddy with excitement on the inside. All of this talk had gotten him excited and he was ready to just do this thing.

"Hmm, very well then. Listen closely as I will now explain to you the details of what you'll be doing on the third exam!"

However, before the Third Hokage could actually explain what the third exam was, another exam proctor appeared before him in a puff of smoke. This exam proctor wore the same Leaf ninja uniform and flak jacket, much like Kakashi, and wore a bandanna which displayed a Leaf Village symbol.

"Huh? Who the hell is this guy?" Kiba asked, though more to himself.

"Lord Hokage, before you explain the third exam, please allow me, Hayate Gekko, to speak first." The man identified as Hayate said.

"Hmmm, so be it then." Hiruzen replied.

Hayate nodded and turned to face the remaining candidates.

"It's nice to meet you all." Hayate said before breaking out into a fit of coughing. "Sorry about that. I'm a little under the weather. Anyway, this is probably going to piss you guys off, but we need to have a preliminary round before we can actually move on to the next part of the exams."

At first, all Hayate got were a bunch of blank stares before...

"Preliminary! Just what the fuck do you mean by that!" Shikamaru demanded furiously, earning him a punch in the arm by Ino.

"Watch you language Shikamaru!" Ino whispered angrily.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Why do we need to have a Preliminary Exam? Can't we just move on to the third exam?" Sakura asked in a more polite tone than Shikamaru.

"Well, I told you it'd probably piss you guys off. Anyway, to answer your question, the first and second exams may have been too easy. The fact is, we never expected so many of you to still be here. According to the rules of the Chunin Exams, a Preliminary Round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining."

"What? But...is that even fair?" Sakura asked in a surprised tone.

"Well, in a way, no. It's just...at this stage of the exams, we need to speed things up a bit. As Lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching and we can't afford to waste their time. They've come to see only the best of the best. So if there are any of you who feel that you are not in top physical condition, now's your chance to-"

Hayate was cut off in mid sentence as a fit of wheezing coughs overwhelmed him. The coughs sounded so bad that it seemed as if Hayate would cough up a lung at any moment.

'_Talk about not being in top physical condition.' _Ino thought to herself.

'_That proctor doesn't look so good himself.' _Hinata thought as she noted the bags under Hayate's eyes and how low and gruff his voice sounded.

"Again, sorry about that. Now as I was saying, if you don't feel up to this, now is the time for you to back down. Afterwards, the Preliminaries will start immediately."

"Wait! You mean right now!" Kiba asked incredulously.

"We just got done with one exam. Don't we at least get a break?" Ino asked tiredly.

"There now, you see. I told you these exams would be a total pain in the ass." Shikamaru said lazily.

All throughout the crowd, everyone whispered quietly to themselves as they complained about how absurd this was. They had just fought for their lives in a forest where everything was alive and had the capability of eating them. Shouldn't they at least get a few days to rest?

"Oh yeah, before I forget, the winners will be determined by one on one combat, sudden death. So like I said, if there's anyone who doesn't feel up to it, then now's the time to raise your hand." Hayate announced again, silencing the whispers.

At first, it seemed as though everyone present was there to stay for the Preliminaries, however, gasps rang out through the crowd as a purple gloved hand rose up into the air. The hand belonged to none other than Kabuto Yakushi.

"Okay, you got me. I wanna back out please." Kabuto said in a strangely cheerful tone.

Hayate took a moment as he began to flip through the clipboard that he held on his left hand. After flipping through it for a few seconds, he finally landed on the page that he was trying to find.

"Hmmm, Kabuto Yakushi of Konohagakure, right?" Hayate asked, earning a nod from Kabuto. "Alright, you're cleared. Go ahead and step back."

Kabuto nodded again and began to walk toward the double doors at the back of the arena. However, he didn't get very far until he was stopped by an angry Naruto.

"Hey Kabuto, hold on a second! You can't quit!" Naruto exclaimed angrily. '_What the hell is going on here? This guy is acting way too funny. Just what the hell is he trying to prove?'_

"Sorry Naruto, but my body is just too beat up. The fact is, ever since that confrontation with the ninja from the Sound Village, I've had no hearing at all in my left ear. And now, to put my life on the line and fight again right away without a break, I just can't do it." Kabuto replied in fake honesty.

'_I don't believe that for a minute. There's barely a scratch on the guy and his hearing is perfectly fine. In fact, he hasn't displayed a single sign of hearing loss. I'm starting to not like this guy.'_ Naruto thought to himself. It was starting to become obvious that Kabuto wasn't someone he could trust.

"Kabuto, what're you doing? Have you forgotten Lord Orochimaru's orders?" Yoroi asked Kabuto silently as his teammate walked by, unaware that Naruto could hear every word.

"I'm leaving all of that to you. Why, is there a problem? After all, for someone with your abilities, it should be a walk in the park. This a chance for you too prove yourself Yoroi. You have always wanted to take my place, haven't you? Well, go for it." Kabuto replied.

"Hn, you may be Orochimaru's lover, but be careful that you don't push it too far." Yoroi warned.

"Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to keep it in mind."

With that, Kabuto continued on forward with a confident smirk. Everything was going exactly as planned, which equaled a satisfied Orochimaru. Meanwhile, after overhearing the entire conversation (thank God for the Kyuubi's hearing), Naruto's eyes narrowed.

'_So that's it, huh? He's been working for Orochimaru this whole time, and he's the bastard's lover at that! To think I actually trusted him even for a minute! That son of a bitch!'_

Back in the real world, all was quiet as everyone watched Kabuto walked through the double doors and exit the arena. Nobody even seemed to , however, the silence was broken as Hayate gave another horrible sounding cough before speaking again.

"Okay, is there anyone else who would like to back out. Don't worry, it won't be held against you."

Hayate looked around and waited patiently for someone else to raise their hand. Once again, the quietness returned with full force. It was so quiet that a cricket could be heard chirping in the background somewhere. After a couple of minutes, when no one else made a move to raise their hand, Hayate began speaking again.

"Alright, since the rest of you are content to stay, we now begin the Preliminary Rounds. These Preliminary Rounds will consist of individual one on one combat, to full battle their are twenty of you remaining, there will be ten matches. Surviving candidates of these matches will advance to the third exam. As for the rules, there are none. You will fight until one dies, admits defeat, or becomes physically unable to continue the fight. Furthermore, as exam proctor, I may occasionally intervene if a match seems hopeless in order to save as many lives as possible. Are there any questions?"

There were none.

"Alright the. Now, it's time to see what fate has in store for you. Anko, this is where you come in,"

Anko nodded and pressed a button on the headset that she was wearing.

"Open the panel." Anko whispered.

A moment later, a panel in the far left corner on the wall at the front of the arena began to quickly open. Once the panel had fully opened, revealing a black screen underneath, Hayate began to speak.

"The names of each pair of opponents are chosen completely at random. Before each match, the names of both opponents will appear on the screen behind me. Since there is nothing more to say, let's begin. In a few moments, the names of the first two opponents will appear, so please watch." Hayate said.

Instantly, all eyes were glued to the black screen at the far left corner of the large wall. Time itself seemed to stop as everyone waited for the first names to appear. Nervousness and adrenaline became thicker and thicker in the air with each passing second. Again, nobody even seemed to breathe. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the black screen came to life as names began to flash wildly and rapidly across the screen before finally stopping at a pair.

**Yoroi Akado vs Sasuke Uchiha.**

_'Hn. Didn't waist any time, did they?' _Sasuke thought to himself with a smirk.

"Heh, I couldn't ask for anything more." Yoroi said. '_This is perfect. I get the Uchiha as an opponent. Finally, one of the elite.'_

"Alright, those whose names have been drawn, please come forth." Hayate commanded.

Before moving forward, Sasuke leaned in close to Sakura and cupped his hands over her ear, as he was aware of Naruto's supernatural hearing.

"Don't tell Naruto about the Curse Mark. I don't want him to worry about me. Please, try and understand." Sasuke whispered as lowly as he could, though loud enough for Sakura to hear.

Sakura did not respond verbally, but nodded anyway. Now that Sakura had his message, Sasuke walked forward and stood directly in front of Hayate with Yoroi.

"You two have been chosen for the first match: Sasuke Uchiha & Yoroi Akado. Before we begin, are there any objections?"

"Hn."

"Not here either."

"Alright, then let's start the first match. First, everyone other than the two candidates, please clear the area and move up to the upper level.

Obediently, everyone else on the arena began to move up to the balconies. Squads 10, 8, Team Guy, and the remaining members of Squad 7 went to the left while Team Dosu, Orochimaru (in disguise), and the Sand Siblings went to the right. Even the exam proctors themselves began to clear the arena floor. On the way to join the rest of his team, Kakashi stopped by Sasuke to deliver a warning.

"Sasuke, don't use your Sharingan." Kakashi said in a low voice, in case Naruto was listening in.

Sasuke's eyes widened for a moment before regaining his composure and putting his emotionless mask back in place.

"You know about it?" he asked.

"Listen, if that mark on your neck gets out of control, your life could be in danger. It feeds off of your chakra and becomes stronger as you become stronger."

"I'm aware of that already. I'm beginning to understand how it works."

"Well just to let you know, if it gets to that point, I won't hesitate to step in and stop the fight. Other than that, good luck."

As Sasuke watched Kakashi walk away, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes before turning to face Yoroi.

'_Stop the fight...? Hmph. I'm afraid that won't be necessary, Kakashi-sensei.'_

"Alright then. If you two are ready, let the first match of the Preliminary Rounds begin!" Hayate said before quickly jumping back to a safe distance.

* * *

"Heh, oh I'm ready." Yoroi said as he made a hand seal. A moment later, his right hand glowed a light blue color as it became charged with chakra.

Using his free left hand, Yoroi reached into his weapons pouch and hurled a handful of shuriken at Sasuke, who pulled out his sword and easily deflected the incoming shuriken, his hand moving so fast that it couldn't be seen with the untrained eye. However, Yoroi wasn't in the least impressed. Moving with speed to rival that of Naruto's, Yoroi teleported to stand right in front of Sasuke, causing the Uchiha to move back just in time as Yoroi slashed at him with a kunai. What followed after was a game of "Cat and Mouse", involving Yoroi and Sasuke moving at impressive speed as they clashed, kunai to sword. They moved all across the floor of the arena at speeds that couldn't be matched by normal human beings. Finally, the fighting stopped as Yoroi moved to slash at Sasuke again, only to have Sasuke disappear.

"What's the matter Sasuke? Are you finally beginning to have seconds thoughts about fighting me?" Yoroi taunted. "And just when I was starting to have fun. Heh, I knew it. You Uchihas are nothing but a bunch of cowards! Why don't you come out and face me like man?"

"Are you done playing around? Because I am." Sasuke said as he came from out of nowhere and slammed his knee into Yoroi's stomach, knocking the air out of the big man. Sasuke then followed up with a number of left and right hooks before grabbing Yoroi by his throat and slamming him onto the hard floor.

"Now die." Sasuke said as he began to squeeze, effectively cutting off Yoroi's air supply.

Thinking quickly, Yoroi charged his hand with chakra so that it glowed with that strange light blue mist and then proceeded to grab Sasuke by the hand that was choking the life out of him. Almost instantly, Sasuke felt both his strength and chakra rapidly begin to leave him.

'_Gah!...This must be some kind of Chakra Absorption Jutsu__. I...can't hold on to him.'_ Sasuke thought to himself in frustration.

Sure enough, Sasuke no longer had the strength hold on to Yoroi's throat, and as a result, his grip loosened completely. Seeing his opportunity to capitalize, Yoroi lashed out and punched Sasuke square in the face, sending the Uchiha reeling back. Not wanting to give Sasuke time to recover, Yoroi got to his feet and charged forward. Using all of his speed and momentum, Yoroi *speared Sasuke in the abdomen, sending them both to the ground with a hard sounding thud. Now that Sasuke was dazed with pain, Yoroi charged his hand with chakra again and gripped Sasuke's skull tightly in his hand, sucking out more of the raven's chakra and strength. By now, Sasuke had already lost so much of his remaining chakra that he couldn't even use the Chidori Current to knock Yoroi off of him. Right now, he was completely at Yoroi's mercy, and if he didn't do something soon, he'd be drained completely.

Chuckling, Yoroi picked Sasuke up by his head and slammed his fist into Sasuke's gut, causing Sasuke to yelp in pain and even cough up a little blood. With Sasuke still in the air for a few seconds, Yoroi lashed out with a quick, but strong right hook that Sasuke tumbling across the arena like a rag doll.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled in alarm.

"No, my God. This isn't happening." Sakura said as she hugged herself. "Please, Sasuke, be alright."

"Come on Sasuke-kun, get up." Ino said softly to herself.

However, Sasuke appeared almost motionless as he laid on the arena floor. He was still breathing, but barely. Every breath he took sent mind-numbing pain shooting throughout his entire body. With that being said, trying to move was out of the question. Smirking underneath the cloth that covered half of his face, Yoroi took his time and leisurely made his way over to Sasuke.

"Heh, this is too easy. I figured you'd put up more of a fight than this." Yoroi said as he finally reached Sasuke. "Don't worry though, cause I know exactly what you need: a trip to the next dimension, one way of course."

Chuckling sinisterly, Yoroi charged his hand with chakra and once again gripped Sasuke by the skull in order to drain what was left of Sasuke's strength. Meanwhile, on the right side of the arena, Orochimaru watched from the balcony with a sinister smirk plastered on his face. This was going even better than he had anticipated.

'_That's right Sasuke. He's draining not only your chakra, but also your very life source. Yoroi has quite an extraordinary ability at his fingertips. He can absorb an opponent's physical and spiritual energy with the palm of his hand. And once the last drop of your chakra is drained from you Sasuke, you'll have no other choice but to rely on the power of the Curse Mark.' _

Sasuke was fucked. He'd known it from the minute Yoroi had first begun sucking away his strength. Now, he was in a situation where there was possibly no escape. Pain was coursing throughout his entire body and he had no strength left to put up a resistance. This entire situation was hopeless, not to mention embarrassing. It was made worse by the fact that everyone was watching him suffer, including Naruto. His kitsune was up there, seeing him like this and made Sasuke sick to his stomach.

'_Go on Sasuke, release that delicious forbidden power. Set it free. You know, as well as I do, that it's the only way to save yourself.' _Orochimaru thought as he began to chuckle. This was really starting to get good. All he had to do now was wait for Sasuke to give in to the Curse Mark. Then things would really get interesting!

Meanwhile, Sasuke was starting to drift away. He could feel his hold on reality starting to slip as darkness began to cloud his vision. At first, Sasuke considered letting the darkness take over and stop the almost unbearable pain that wracked his body. However, one person flashed through his mind at that moment: Naruto. He was still up there, watching his lover give up. This fact is what woke Sasuke back up. Naruto was counting on him. If Sasuke gave up, he'd no only be letting himself down, but he'd be letting Naruto down to. Even if by some miracle, Sasuke did survive, he'd never be able to look Naruto or anyone else in the eye. So he'd fight, if not for himself, then for the one he loved. Searching deep within himself, Sasuke summoned his inner strength and new determination coursed through his veins, giving him the strength to beat back the darkness and fight through the pain.

"Get...off...of me!" Sasuke said as he kicked Yoroi away from him as hard as he could, sending the surprised large man staggering back.

As Sasuke gathered what strength he had left, Yoroi recovered before he could fall over and glared at Sasuke with narrowed eyes.

"So, you've still got some strength left huh?" Yoroi said with slight disbelief. '_I don't get it. This kid should have nothing left. In fact, he shouldn't even be breathing right now!'_

_'That came too close. I have to stay focused. This guy is a powerhouse type fighter. He uses his size and strength to overwhelm his opponent. I have to use my speed in order stay ahead. Otherwise, taking this guy head-on is suicide.' _Sasuke thought as he panted heavily.

"Don't worry little man. I'll make this nice and sweet." Yoroi said as he charged his hand again. "No just hold still and your pain will be over."

With impressive speed, thanks to Sasuke's chakra, Yoroi charged at Sasuke and made numerous quick grabs at the Uchiha in an attempt to grab hold of him again and drain away the rest of his power. Luckily, Sasuke was able to use his own speed to stay one step ahead of Yoroi and managed to dodge each attack. Although, he had to think of something fast. He couldn't keep this up forever, and if he slipped up one more time, it'd be over. No sooner had the fact crossed his mind when Sasuke slipped up and Yoroi's hand grazed his stomach. Simply with that brief contact, Sasuke felt a large portion of his remaining strength leave him. Twirling around, Yoroi landed a solid kick to Sasuke's chest, sending the Uchiha sprawling back and knocking him flat on his rear.

'_Damn it! I don't have enough speed to dodge him now!' _Sasuke thought in frustration as he picked himself up from the floor. To make things worse, he was starting to tire very quickly. So far, this fight simply wasn't going his way at all and he'd lost even more of his strength.

"Struggle all you want Uchiha! In the end, you're still dead! You don't have a chance at beating me! And you know what? You never did!" Yoroi bellowed before howling with laughter.

'_Hn. So this is the great Sasuke Uchiha? Is this really all he's got?'_ Gaara thought as he watched Sasuke rise to his feet.

"C'mon Sasuke! What the hell was! Are really gonna let this guy walk all over you?" Naruto yelled. "How can you even call yourself an Uchiha? Stop fooling around and get your ass in gear!"

As Naruto's words registered in his brain, Sasuke finally got an idea. He didn't have very much strength left, but it would have to work. After all, it was all that he had left, and right now, he couldn't be choosy. Plus, he only had one shot.

"Heheheh. Well Uchiha, this is where you end!" Yoroi said as he charged at Sasuke again. All he needed was one more hit and this Uchiha brat would be down for the count. Victory was so close that he could practically taste it.

Seeing that he didn't have much time left, Sasuke reached into his pocket and pulled out his last food pill. It was one of the smaller ones that would only last for 3 minutes. Fortunately, the power boost that it'd give him was all he needed. Sasuke quickly slipped the round black pill into his mouth and swallowed. However, he had to go on the offensive once more as Yoroi reached. Sasuke did a number of backflips to create some distance and smirked when he felt the familiar of chakra pumping through his veins. It felt as though he'd been plugged into a 1000 volts!

'_Alright, I have only have one shot. I have to make this count!' _Sasuke thought as he made the "Tiger" hand seal.

"Here I come boy!" Yoroi hollered as he charged at Sasuke like a rampaging bull, his glowing hand poised and ready.

_'Wait for it...NOW!'_

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke said before he inhaled as much air as he could.

Exhaling through his mouth, Sasuke blew out what appeared to be a gigantic fireball in the shape of a dragon. Sasuke would've liked to have blown out a second one, but he'd only had enough chakra for one. As the enormous dragon-shaped fireball speed towards Yoroi, the big man was stopped dead in his tracks. Thinking fast, Yoroi began to run to the side in the hopes of sidestepping the attack, but found that he was unable to.

"I can't move away from it!" Yoroi yelled in horror. "No, this can't be! Lord Orochimaru, help me! AAAAHHHHH!"

Yoroi let out a last cry of pain as the dragon-shaped fireball collided with him with more than enough force to kill a grown man. The result was a massive fiery explosion that was louder then a nuclear missile, which rocked the entire tower to its core. The almost unbearable heat could be felt throughout the entire arena, creating the replica of an oven. Everyone was forced to get down and cover their heads & ears as the shockwave of the explosion washed over them like a tempest, the strong winds almost blowing them away. Finally, after a few minutes, the explosion died down, leaving only burning embers floating through the air. As everyone stood up and looked down at the arena, they let out loud gasps at what they saw.

Needless to say, there was nothing left of Yoroi's body. He'd been completely vaporized by the explosion, erasing all trace that a person had even been there. All that was left was a large, nasty, black scorch mark that was still slightly smoking. Exhausted, Sasuke collapsed to his knees.

_'That's it. I have no more left.' _Sasuke thought as he panted heavily, on the verge of passing out.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Orochimaru was shuddering. Not from disgust, of course, but from pure _excitement_. In all of his many years, he'd never seen anything like that before in his life. And in all honesty, he was feeling the equivalent of an orgasm after that display of power.

'_Magnificent! Simply magnificent!' _Orochimaru thought as he licked his lips.

Back down on the arena floor, Hayate took a quick glance at what used to be Yoroi before looking over at Sasuke. It was obvious that this fight was over, that much would be obvious even to a blind person. After walking over and making sure Sasuke was alright, Hayate cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I'm hereby declaring this match over. As the winner of this Preliminary Round, Sasuke Uchiha advances to the final round." Hayate announced.

"Yes! You did it Sasuke!" Sakura cheered.

"Yeah, way-to-go!" Naruto agreed.

Sasuke gave a smirk as he breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. He'd had a close call, but he'd managed to beat the odds and emerge victorious. Completely drained, Sasuke moved onto his ass and was about to fall back, however, Kakashi appeared behind him in a puff of smoke, and propped the exhausted Uchiha up with his knee.

"Hmmm, not bad Sasuke. Not bad at all." Kakashi said. He'd told Sasuke that jutsu would come in handy during these exams. The Great Dragon Flame Jutsu wasn't as strong as the Blaze Ball Jutsu, but it was considered it's rival. It took an enormous amount of chakra to use and only those who had mastered the technique could use it in succession. "See? Did I not tell you how useful the Great Dragon Flame Jutsu could be? It may use a lot of your chakra, but it can come in handy in almost any situation."

"Hey Sasuke! You may have won, but you still got your ass whooped!" Naruto hollered out before laughing like a hyena.

Sasuke was about to make a comeback, but then decided against it. After all, Naruto would have his own match soon enough.

'_Man! After seeing that, I'm pumped! I can't wait till my match comes up! Just wait till everyone gets a load of me!' _Naruto thought excitedly.

'_Simply amazing Sasuke. You just keep getting stronger every day, like a true genius. It almost makes me a little...nervous. This must be the power of the elite Uchiha Clan. I can only imagine how strong the others must've been!' _Rock Lee thought to himself as he gazed at Sasuke in awe. All around, the arena was abuzz with whispers of Sasuke's display of strength. Once again, Sasuke had set the bar. What they had just seen was what these exams were all about.

'_Last year, Neji Hyuga was the rookie to beat. This year, however, it's Sasuke Uchiha. I wonder when we'll find out which one is stronger?' _Tenten thought to herself.

'_This kid is something else. He managed to defeat a powerhouse type opponent without even having to use his Sharingan! And to think, we still haven't even seen his true Uchiha ability yet.' _Kakashi thought as he stared down at Sasuke.

"Yes! I knew he could do it. Sasuke is just so amazing, words can't describe." Ino said to herself excitedly.

'_This could be the end of the line for us. Who knew that Sasuke could pull off something like that?' _Shikamaru thought to himself.

"Damn, I'm hungry." Choji muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, Squad 8 was just as surprised as everyone else, though they each showed it in a different way.

"Wow, Sasuke had really gotten even stronger than he was before." Hinata said.

"Yeah whatever. It wasn't anything that special." Kiba said jealously, though taking it in stride. '_Damn it! Why is everything so easy for him?'_

As everyone chatted excitedly about Sasuke's strength, one of the Medical Ninja stationed in the tower walked onto the battle floor and approached Sasuke.

"Sasuke Uchiha, I believe that you should come with me so that me and the others may treat your injuries." he said upon reaching Sasuke.

"Pardon me, but I believe you're out of your league with this one. If it's okay with you, I'll look after him." Kakashi said. The Medical Ninja nodded and began to way.

"Alright Sasuke, up you go. You're coming with me." Kakashi said. "We need to seal that Curse Mark."

"Not yet. I wanna see who makes it to the finals. Plus, I wanna see Naruto's match." Sasuke argued. "Besides, the Curse Mark didn't bother me at all during the match."

"That doesn't mean it isn't a threat Sasuke. We need to deal with it right now."

"Wait till after the Preliminaries. Please, just wait till then. If it starts giving me any problems, I'll tell you. Right now, I have to see these Preliminaries through, alright? Until then, I'll take it easy.'

"The answer is "no" Sasuke. If we leave it alone any longer, there's no telling what may happen. Besides, I've already cut you enough slack as it is. After the Curse Mark has been taken care of, I'll bring you back here in time to see Naruto's match, okay? Now come on. Don't bother arguing any further."

Sasuke gave a sigh of defeat and rose to his feet. As Kakashi lead the way to the back room, Sasuke glared at his back. If he missed Naruto's match because of this, there'd be hell to pay. As they walked, Sasuke subconsciously brought his hand to the Curse Mark on the backside of his neck, action that didn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

"Hey Sakura, does Sasuke have any strange marks that I should know about?" Naruto asked.

Sakura tensed, but prayed that Naruto didn't notice.

"No, not that I know of." Sakura lied.

Naruto stared at her for what seemed like the longest time, causing Sakura to become uneasy, before looking back to the arena floor.

"Hmmm, I'm not completely convinced, but I'll take your word for it." Naruto replied.

Sakura gave small sigh of relief. For now, the matter was avoided. The question was: for how long?

Back on the floor, Hayate cleared his throat, signaling everyone to stop talking and give him their undivided attention. Within a few seconds, the arena quieted down and all eyes were now on Hayate.

"Alright, it's time to begin the next match. Please draw your attention to the screen."

Everyone did as commanded and watched the black screen as it came to life again and began to rapidly go through pairs of names. After only a few seconds, a new pair of names flashed onto the screen.

**Shino Aburame vs Zaku Abumi.**

**Okay, that concludes this chapter. To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next chapter. Be sure to review and tell me what you think. Review more than once of you want to or tell your friends, whatever works. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and take care.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Naruto would've at least had some skills in Part 1.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 32**

Sasuke shivered as he sat crossed legged on the cold hard floor of the back room of the arena, wishing that Kakashi would hurry up and finish this so that he could at least put his shirt back on. After his successful win against Yoroi, Kakashi had forced Sasuke to come to the cold, dark back room so that he could seal his Curse Mark, for fear of it getting out of control. As they walked through the hallways and down a flight of stairs, Sasuke began to feel uneasy. He knew Kakashi wouldn't try and hurt him in any way, of course, but he still didn't like being so far away from the others. So when they finally did reach the back room, and Sasuke saw how dark it was, his uneasiness increased 10x. Kakashi went in first and and lit the numerous candles that were on the floor with a Fire Style Jutsu before ordering Sasuke to remove his shirt and sit Indian-style in the middle of the floor. Now, only 5 minutes later, Sasuke was sitting on the cold floor, shirtless, in a room that was not only dark, but way below room temperature. He had asked Kakashi to turn up the heat a little, but Kakashi stated that the air conditioning control box was all the way upstairs. So Sasuke would simply have to endure the coldness for now.

After Sasuke had sat down cross legged in the middle of the floor, Kakashi pulled a red marker out of one of the pockets of his flak jacket and began to write a series of kanji letters all over Sasuke's body. Throughout the entire ordeal, Sasuke kept twitching.

"Hold still Sasuke. Otherwise, this going to take longer than it has to." Kakashi commanded

"I can't help it. The damn marker is almost as cold as this floor and it tickles." Sasuke argued back.

Kakashi sighed and successfully finished writing the last series of kanji letters, which was across Sasuke's back.

"There, all done. Now all I have to do is execute the hand seals." Kakashi said.

"Well hurry up. I'm freezing my ass off." Sasuke commanded sharply.

Kakashi only shook his head before rapidly going through a long series of hand seals. After feeling the correct amount of chakra surge to his hand, Kakashi then pressed the said hand to the backside of Sasuke's neck, right where the Curse Mark was. At first nothing happened, but after a few seconds, a blinding white light shone from the spot where Kakashi's hand was and Sasuke found himself screaming as waves of pain washed over him. As Sasuke screamed, the numerous kanji letters all over his body came to life and surged to the spot where the Curse Mark was, forming a circle around it. Finally, the white light died down, along with the waves of pain. After the entire ordeal, Sasuke was left panting heavily in the middle of the floor.

"Sasuke, if you can hear me, know this: This Curse Sealing Jutsu is only as strong as you are. In other words, it derives its power from the strength of **your **will. If that will ever weakens, if you ever begin to doubt yourself, the Curse Mark will be unleashed in all its fury. Be sure to keep that in mind."

Before Sasuke could make a move to argue back, he was cut off by a raspy sounding voice.

"My my Kakashi-kun, how you've grown." the voice said, a voice that sounded all too familiar. "To think you've become strong enough to perform a Curse Sealing Jutsu. Hehehe, Sakumo would be proud."

A moment later, the owner of the chilling voice emerged from the shadows behind Kakashi, causing the silver-haired Jonin to turn around to face him. Sasuke on the other hand, visibly tensed at the chilling voice. He knew who it was and it just his bad luck to run into **him **now of all times. He was in no condition to defend himself if this guy tried to attack.

"Long time no see, eh Kakashi-sensei?"

"You..." Kakashi said, his voice taking on a cold tone. "How dare you stain my father's name by allowing it to fall from your wretched lips...Orochimaru."

Despite Kakashi's tone, Orochimaru only chuckled, as though Kakashi were no threat at all.

"No offense, dear Kakashi, but it is not you I'm here to see. My business is with that boy behind you."

Sasuke tensed even more as he slowly turned to face Orochimaru's direction.

'_Great, what does this bastard want now? He already gave me his goddamn Curse Mark!'_

"Why hello there little Sasuke. Happy to see me?" Orochimaru asked in a teasing voice as he peaked around Kakashi.

"Fuck you." Sasuke said through clenched teeth.

Again, Orochimaru only chuckled before leaning back over and staring Kakashi eye to eye.

"What do you want with Sasuke?" Kakashi asked in a threatening tone.

"Hmmm, you've acquired something new. Oh, how I envy your good fortune Kakashi-kun. I don't believe you had it the last time we met, did you? I speak of you gift, the Sharingan in your left eye. With that being said, it's only natural that I should want it too, the Uchiha power." Orochimaru explained eerily.

"I don't understand it. What's your game?" Kakashi asked.

"The Sound Village that sprang up recently, the one that everyone's curious about, is mine. You see, I created it." was Orochimaru's vague reply. All Kakashi had to do now was think back a few years and put the pieces together.

A moment of intense silence came between the two as Kakashi pieced together what Orochimaru was trying to say. Thanks to his superior intellect, Kakashi was quickly able to figure out the meaning behind Orochimaru's explanation about Otogakure. Not too long ago, only a week before Naruto was born, both the villagers and shinobi around Konoha began to suddenly go missing one by one. It took nearly an entire month before the culprit was finally caught. After being informed that it was Orochimaru who was behind the disappearances, the Third Hokage was one of the first to arrive on the scene, as Orochimaru had once been his best student out of both Jiraiya and Tsunade. Unfortunately, the Hiruzen could not bring himself to actually kill Orochimaru, allowing the motherfucker to escape and later defect from Konoha. Later, as the Anbu searched Orochimaru's layer in the sewers, they discovered that Orochimaru had used the kidnapped villagers and shinobi to develop a number of Forbidden Jutsus. Needless to say, almost none of his test subjects survived and the few that actually did survive were permanently traumatized.

Now, Orochimaru had created his own village, leaving him to experiment on its citizens, or rather prisoners, to his heart's content. No telling what horrors he'd put them through, and unfortunately, help was coming anytime soon.

"Good. I see you understand without me saying anymore." Orochimaru said with a sick smile.

"You and you're wild-eyed ambition." Kakashi replied, venom dripping from each word.

"Oh yes, indeed. However, to play the game, as you put it, I need pieces like those on a chessboard. In order to advance forward, I need pawns to do my dirty work."

"So then I take it Sasuke is one of your pawns?"

"Oh no, not a pawn. I'm afraid your dear Sasuke-kun there is a far more valuable piece than that. However, as for the others...well...you know how it is in a game of chess: certain pieces must be sacrificed."

Orochimaru then began to chuckle darkly as he came closer to Kakashi and Sasuke, all the while looking Kakashi straight in the eye. With each step Orochimaru took, Kakashi would tense more and more. He knew that he had to defend both himself and Sasuke, as Sasuke was in no condition to defend himself. Although, more than likely, Orochimaru was only toying with them. Unfortunately, it was working. As Orochimaru came even closer, Kakashi began to go through the different possibilities in his head. The only one he could think of would be to take Orochimaru down, here and now. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done. For despite how strong he was, Kakashi knew that he probably didn't stand a chance against this guy. Orochimaru was still one of the Legendary Sannin, after all. Even still Kakashi would have to take a chance, for Orochimaru was almost at arms length away from him by now. Even if he couldn't take Orochimaru, he'd give it his best shot.

"STOP! Don't come any closer!" Kakashi warned as focused his Lightning Chakra into the palm of his hand, forming the Chidori. However, Kakashi added more Lightning Chakra so that the jutsu became much more concentrated and blue, thus forming the Lightning Blade. Intrigued by the lightning-based jutsu, Orochimaru stopped in mid step and instead watched Kakashi curiously.

"I don't care if you are one of the Legendary Sannin! I swear, take one more step toward Sasuke, or else one of us will die here!"

As Kakashi got ready to strike, Orochimaru did something that, surprisingly, Kakashi did not expect: he began to chuckle. What started off as a chuckle quickly became full blown laughter, throwing Kakashi completely off guard.

"Poor Kakashi. Why can't you see that all of your noble efforts are all in vain?"

"...What?"

"Honestly, do you really think that seal will hold? Do you really think you can keep young Sasuke here? From what he truly desires?" Orochimaru asked. "A heart like his only hungers for one thing: power, and that type of heart cannot be denied. No matter what obstacles you put in his path, he will always be an avenger. Isn't that right, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke tensed and clenched his teeth even harder. This guy was reading him like a friggin map!

"You think you can take advantage of that? Sasuke wouldn't do that, not when he has a special someone already here." Kakashi argued back.

"And you think that will stop him. Eventually, Kakashi, he will come to me seeking power, for that is what he truly craves."

With that, Orochimaru turned his back made his way casually down the dark hallway, completely brushing Kakashi off as though the silver-haired Jonin was no threat at all. However, before he fully disappeared, he stopped to give Kakashi one final message, or rather, an offer.

"...Unless, of course, you carry out your threat to kill me. Well, now is your chance. Take it...if you dare."

Kakashi eyes widened as he felt a wave of fear wash over him. Orochimaru had his back turned and he was unarmed, as far as Kakashi knew. So now was the perfect time to strike, and hopefully, kill him. However, Kakashi could not bring himself to do it. The risk was too great. In fact, Kakashi wasn't afraid to admit it, he knew that he most likely didn't stand a chance against Orochimaru. That fact only made his fear grow even worse. As much as he fought with himself, he simply could not bring himself to strike the bastard down. And so, Orochimaru continued to walk on until he had fully disappeared within the shadows, smirking to himself.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was left breathing heavily, his only visible eye wide.

'_"One of us is going to die here...What in the world was I thinking?' _Kakashi thought to himself incredulously. It wasn't until now that he realized how foolish his threat had truly been.

Luckily, Kakashi managed to recompose himself before turning to face a surprisingly calm Sasuke.

"Is he really gone?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, I felt it when his chakra signature vanished." Kakashi replied. "Anyway, at least now we know what Orochimaru wants with you. In that case, me and you are in for extensive training after these Preliminaries are over. Here, put you shirt back on."

Sasuke grabbed his halfway open white shirt from Kakashi and quickly slipped it over his head.

"Hey Kakashi, does the Curse Sealing Jutsu you used allow me to control the Curse Mark now?"

"To an extent, yes. So long as your will remains strong. Right now, lets go rejoin Naruto and the others. I just we're not too late. This did take longer than I had originally planned, after all."

"Hn." was Sasuke's only reply as he followed Kakashi out of the dark and cold back room, the candles instantly burning out behind them.

* * *

By the time, Kakashi and Sasuke rejoined the others, both Shino's and Kankuro's matches had already ended, although Kankuro's had only just now ended. Needless to say, Kankuro was the winner. Upon walking up the steps, both Sasuke and Kakashi were bombarded by Naruto and Sakura.

"Sasuke! You're okay!" Naruto said happily as he captured his boyfriend in a tight hug.

Sasuke, who was at first taken by surprise, quickly returned the hug, grateful to be holding his kitsune again.

"So Kakashi-sensei...is everything okay with Sasuke now?" Sakura asked, adding the last part quietly so Naruto wouldn't overhear.

"Yes. For now, Sasuke will be fine. I managed to seal the Curse Mark, but now it rests solely on Sasuke's will. Hopefully, Naruto will be able to keep him strong." Kakashi replied before pulling out his Make Out Violence book and picking up where he left off.

A few moments later, everyone's attention was drawn to the arena floor by the sound of Hayate clearing his throat.

"Okay, uh...we're going to take a 5 minute break before we begin the 4th match. So until then, just hang tight and we'll resume the Preliminaries shortly." Hayate announced before breaking into a fit of coughing.

"5 minute break! At this rate, my match is never going to get here!" Naruto whined. "I'll be Granny Tsunade's age by the time my turn finally comes."

Meanwhile, Sasuke sighed as he thought of something to do. At first, nothing came to mind, but then he realized that he'd missed the other two matches. Luckily, Naruto had been here the entire time, so Sasuke figured, why not get caught up?

"Hey dobe, if you're bored, then how about you fill me in on what I missed?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh yeah! You missed it teme! both Shino's and Kankuro's matches were so kick ass!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. "Shino had to fight against that guy Zaku. You know, the guy who's arms you broke. Anyway, Shino had him surrounded by all these injects that crawled out from under his skin and he had Zaku boxed in. Then Zaku tried to use his Slicing Air Wave to wipe out both Shino and his insects, but something went wrong and his arms exploded instead, so Shino won. It turns out, Shino had his insects plug up the air cannons in Zaku's palms. So when he tried to use the Slicing Air Wave, it backfired on him! That asshole had to be carried out on a stretcher! Can you believe that? I doubt he'll recover from something like that."

_'I see. So it looks like Shino will be in the final round too. And Zaku's been taken out of the picture for good this time. That takes care of at least one of those annoying ass Sound ninja.' _Sasuke thought to himself.

"What about Kankuro's match?"

"Oh, his match was the weirdest one yet! He had to fight against Kabuto's other teammate. The one that was dressed like Yoroi, except he had on the clear wire-rimmed glasses. Anyway, he used some kind of jutsu to dislocate all of his joints and literally wrap himself around Kankuro. At first, it seemed like he'd won when he appeared to have snapped Kankuro's neck. But get this: it wasn't Kankuro! It was this weird ass looking puppet! It turns out, Kankuro was controlling the puppet from within the bundle on the puppet's back. I don't know how he did it, but he and his puppet somehow switched places. Anyway, the puppet wrapped itself around Kabuto's teammate and squeezed the poor guy so hard that it broke almost bone in his body! A few minutes later, that's when you showed up."

Sasuke nodded as Naruto spoke, liking what he heard.

'_So Kankuro made it too, huh? It looks like the the third part of the exams are already starting to look interesting.'_

"So Sasuke...are you okay now? I mean, you're not in kind of...danger, are you?"

Sasuke merely stared for a minute before giving Naruto a smile, but genuine smile.

"I'm fine Naruto. You don't have to worry about me." Sasuke said as he ruffled the blonde's golden hair.

While Sasuke pulled Naruto closer to him, Sakura made her way downstairs to the arena floor and approached Hayate, who was writing something down on the clipboard in his hand.

"Excuse me, Hayate sir? Sorry to bother you, but could you please tell me where the restrooms are?" Sakura asked politely.

"Huh? Oh, the restrooms? The restrooms are through those double doors, keep straight and then make a left. The restrooms should be at the end of the hallway." the sickly exam proctor explained, pointing to the double doors that Sakura and her team had entered through earlier. "Although, you might wanna hurry. The next match will start in a few minutes."

"Okay, thank you." Sakura said as he ran to the double doors. Sakura then followed Hayate's instructions, and sure enough, the bathrooms were right where he said they would be. Without wasting anymore time, Sakura went into the women's restroom and did her business.

As she washed her hands and ran a little water through her shiny pink locks, Sakura became aware of a presence behind her. It was a presence that she loathed and was all to familiar with.

"And just what the hell do **you **want...Ino?" Sakura asked in a venomous tone.

Standing behind Sakura, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed, was none other than Ino Yamanaka, Sakura's long time rival.

"Well well, _somebody's _awfully jumpy." Ino shot back casually, completely unfazed by Sakura's tone. It may have been slightly, but Ino still noticed how Sakura jumped when she felt her presence behind her. "I can see why though. Even Sasuke collapsed after his match, which just goes to show how tough these exams really are. I'm not to worried about Naruto-kun, I know he'll do fine, thanks to that Rinnegan of his. Now that only leaves you. I can't even begin to imagine what'll happen to you once you get called up. I think you should quit, just to save yourself the the utter embarrassment."

For a moment, Sakura actually considered Ino's words, but as she ran a hand through her hair, she instantly remembered the fight between Team Dosu and how she had single handedly taken down nearly the entire team once she had gone into a blind rage. That moment was what gave her the confidence and determination to continue.

'_If I can make it through something like that, then I can make it through these Preliminaries too. All that training with Lady Tsunade didn't go to waste, not on me. I didn't have both of my legs broken for nothing damn it.'_

_"_I'm not going to quit Ino. Not now, not ever. I was trained by Lady Tsunade herself for this very occasion and I won't let her, or my team, down. In fact, I can't wait for my match because I'm gonna leave you in the dust, and in the words of Naruto-kun himself, **believe it**." Sakura said, getting right up in Ino's face before walking away, radiating confidence with each step.

'_Well, can't say I didn't try to save her the embarrassment.'_ Ino thought to herself as she began to follow Sakura back to the arena. '_Besides, she deserves whatever happens to her.'_

A few moments later, Sakura emerged from the double doors and climbed the steps to rejoin her team. Ino didn't walk in until a few moments later. After seeing Ino walk in, Hayate did a quick count just to make sure everyone was there.

"Alright, the break is now over." Hayate announced before breaking into a fit of coughing. "It's time to begin the 4th match."

The black screen in the top left corner of the giant wall came to life and a series of names began to flash rapidly across the screen.

"Ya know, it doesn't really matter who's next anymore, considering it's probably going to be two weirdos. This exam is chock full of em." Naruto pointed out in a frustrated tone.

"Well Naruto, you're one to talk." Kakashi teased.

"Hey, give me a break! I may be the container of a demonic fox, but that doesn't make me a weirdo! In fact, I act pretty normal for my age!" Naruto pouted while blushing.

Unable to contain it anymore, Sakura began to giggle. She couldn't help it. Sometimes, Naruto could just be so hilarious. In a tense situation, leave it to Naruto to provide the comic relief. However, Sakura's giggling was cut short when Kakashi placed his hands on her shoulders.

"This isn't the time for laughter Sakura. Take a look at the screen." Kakashi said, pointing to said screen.

Sakura looked over at the screen and let out a loud gasp at what she saw.

**Sakura Haruno vs Ino Yamanaka.**

As Sakura gaped in open at shock at the names on the screen, she became aware of footsteps coming toward her. Looking over to her left, Sakura saw Ino just arriving up from the steps. She too took a look at the screen and held a look that matched Sakura's.

'_How did I know this would happen?' _Ino thought to herself. '_I guess this fight really was inevitable.'_

At that moment, Ino became aware of a pair of eyes on her and looked over to stare Sakura right in the eye. Instantly, Ino's look of shock turned into a glare. Not one to back down from a rival, Sakura glared back.

"Will the two opponents listed please come down to the arena floor?" Hayate asked.

Ino sharply turned her back on Sakura and quickly made her way down to the arena floor.

"Give it your best shot Sakura-chan!" Naruto encouraged.

"We're with you all the way." Kakashi reassured.

Sakura gave them all a warm smile before turning and making her way down to the arena floor also. Now, both she and Ino stood across from each other, ready for the fight of their lives. As Ino glared at Sakura, she clenched her fists in rage. This was the moment she'd been waiting for ever since her childhood. Ever since the day Sakura ended their friendship, Ino had prayed for the day when she'd finally get to go at Sakura unrestrained. Now, that moment had finally come. Ino would finally get to fully unleash 6 years of anger that she'd swallowed down since that day.

"I didn't think...I'd have to fight you. I mean, I didn't think I'd have to fight you s-"

"Shut up." Ino said sharply, cutting Sakura off and surprising the pink haired girl.

'_Ino...that look in her eye...she's gone back to her old self.' _Sakura realized as she met Ino's intense gaze.

"Fine then. I won't hold back either."

Meanwhile, Asuma and th rest of Squad 10 watched the stand off from above with mixed feelings about the whole thing.

'_Well now, this is an interesting turn out. Sakura may have Tsunade's Herculean strength, but Ino has a mean streak of her own. The question is: can she fully embrace that mean streak and bring herself to actually hurt Sakura? As much as Ino hates to admit it, she still has a soft spot for the girl.' _Asuma thought to himself as he watched the two girls stare each other down. '_This is one fight thats been long in the making.'_

"Damn. Out of all the people for Ino to go up against, it just had to be Sakura." Shikamaru said.

"I know. I hope Ino will be okay." Choji said, concerned. He hadn't forgotten Sakura display of power back at the clearing. If that happened here, Ino would be lucky to even walk out alive, if she even walked out at all.

"Yep, this is the point in time when Ino has to kill her emotions for Sakura completely. But can she actually do it?" Asuma said. '_I told you this day would come eventually, so what's it gonna be Ino?'_

Between the two said opponents, time seemed to stop. Nobody else seemed to exist except for them. Unbeknownst to the two girls, they were unleashing waves of the of their chakra that could be felt all the way up to the balconies, becoming thick in the air.

Sensing the tension between the two, Hayate decided that now as the time.

"You may begin."

* * *

Without having to be told twice, the the two rushed at each other at the exact same time with amazing bursts of speed. Sakura, using all of her momentum, jumped forward with a flying kick. Although Ino managed to throw her hands up in time, the kick was loaded with Sakura's chakra, which propelled Ino quite a distance from Sakura as the chakra was expelled upon contact.

'_I'm gonna have to dodge all of her attacks if I'm gonna win. I can't keep taking hits head on like that, even if I do block them.' _Ino thought to herself as see watched Sakura charge at her, determination clear in her blue-green eyes.

Upon reaching her target, Sakura let loose with all she had, striking letting out a series of kicks, punches, left hooks, and right hooks, forcing Ino to go the defensive and evade all of Sakura's attacks. However, Ino knew that she would have to think of something, for she couldn't be on the defensive for the entire match and she became aware that Sakura was actually forcing her back. Seeing that straightforward attacks weren't working, Sakura lashed out with an under kick, planning to knock Ino's feet out from under her. However, Ino did a number of backflips to create some distance. As Ino flipped through the air, Sakura saw it as her chance to catch the girl off guard and threw out a handful of kunai knives. Luckily, Ino landed just in time and was able to dodge the incoming knives, even being able to catch the last one and hurl it back at Sakura, who threw out another kunai to knock that one away.

'_Damn, she's gotten good.' _Ino thought as she panted. '_But enough is enough.'_

This time, when Sakura charged at her and began throwing out a series of attacks, Ino had something for her. Sakura threw a kick targeted for Ino's face, but Ino moved back, only to move back in and land a hard right hand to Sakura's face. Recovering, Sakura went on the offensive again, though Ino was ready this time and stuck to her pattern of dodging Sakura's attacks and then moving back into to land blows of her own. Throughout the fight, Ino moved like that of a boxer, showing off amazing footwork as well as impressive speed with her hands. Despite Ino's skills, she caught a number of Sakura's hits, the loaded chakra adding more damage. Seeing that Ino was stunned from her last punch, Sakura rushed forward and clotheslined to the ground, hard. The impact could be practically felt by everyone in the arena, as though they were ones were hit instead of Ino. Sakura smirked as she saw Ino's body hit the ground. After all, she'd put all of her normal strength, which was still pretty impressive on it's on, into the attack. That was all it would take to bring Ino down, or so she thought.

"Ouch. Ino's gonna feel that in the morning." Naruto commented. "There's no way she can get up from something like that.."

"Actually, Naruto, don't count Ino out just yet. She may look delicate, but she has a jaw made of stone." Asuma said. "Just watch, her anger is already at it's boiling point. Now, it's only a matter of seconds before she blows."

Sure enough, much to Sakura's shock, Ino began to pick herself up from the ground.

'_What? That can't be! I put all of my strength in the hit! How is she still moving?" _Sakura thought as she watched Ino pick herself up from the ground.

As Ino turned to face her, Sakura almost let out a gasp as Ino gave her the most deadliest glare she'd ever seen. Ino displayed nothing but hatred as she heavily panted, the rage numbing her from the throbbing pain she was supposed to be feeling near her neck area. In fact, Ino almost didn't even look human for a seconds. If looks could kill, Sakura would be dead right now and this fight would be over.

"Glare all you want Ino, you know you can't win. Your fighting against someone who's simply out of your league. So why don't you do us all a favor and just back down already." Sakura said seriously.

Ino's eyes widened in disbelief at what she was hearing. Sakura was actually looking down on her! On _her!_

"Sakura...how dare you! After what you did, do you honestly think you're in any position to be looking down on me!" Ino hollered.

'_After what I did? What is she talking about?' _Sakura thought confusedly.

"You think that just because you were trained by Tsunade you're better than me! Well I've got news for you forehead: the gloves are coming off!"

Before Sakura could ask what Ino was talking about, Ino rushed forward with an incredible burst of speed. Before Sakura even knew what had hit her, Ino tackled Sakura to the ground and had begun to pound the pink haired girl straight in the face before reverting to slapping her as hard as she could again and again.

"Your're not better than me! You're not better than me!" Ino chanted/hollered as she slapped Sakura between each word.

Using her strength, Sakura tried to shove off Ino off of her, but the blonde haired kunoichi held on. Since shoving wasn't working, Sakura punched Ino square in the face. Seeing that Ino was stunned by the hit, Sakura shoved Ino off her as hard as she could, succeeding in creating some distance between the two. Ino spit the blood out of her mouth and cracked her neck as she rose to her fit, as though the hard to the face had been nothing. Breathing heavily, Sakura rose to her feet and charged at Ino rapidly, not wanting to give the enraged girl any time to rest. As Sakura reached Ino and engaged her in hand to hand combat, Ino was more than prepared. As the two exchanged blows, Ino moved with the grace of clear water, easily dodging Sakura's attacks and landing well placed hard hits of her own. After knocking the wind out of Sakura with a punch to the gut, Ino followed up with a series of straight jabs, half uppercuts, and hooks before finishing it off by kicking Sakura upside the head. Sakura managed to block the attack, but the force was still strong enough to knock her back a good distance.

"Whoa! Ino is like a completely different person now!" Naruto commented. "She's as scary as Sakura when she gets angry."

"You have no idea." Shikamaru muttered.

"See? I told ya so. You see, Ino's fighting style is a mix between Boxing and Street Fighting, as well as a little bit of Wrestling." Asuma explained. "It's kinda funny when you think about it. I mean, Ino may seem like a girly-girl, but she knows how to get dirty when she needs to."

"My God, I don't know what Sakura did in the past, but whatever it is, it sure pissed Ino off." Tenten said quietly to Neji, who was standing beside her. "I wonder what it she could've done?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Neji replied. Although, to be honest, he didn't really care. He just wanted this fight to be over with already.

Meanwhile, back on the arena floor, both kunoichi glared each down as the contemplated their next move. Now that Ino had taken off the "kid gloves", Sakura realized that she'd to come up with a new plan of attack. Otherwise, Ino would tire her out and pick up an easy win, and there was no way that was going to happen. If that case, then Sakura would take off her gloves as well, although in the figurative way. If Ino was going to dive in headfirst, then so would she. She had convinced herself that she wasn't the same scared little girl she used to, and now was her time to prove it. After taking a deep breath, Sakura reached behind her, undid her forehead protector, and removed. She then retied it around her forehead, wearing it the proper way. Although this was a simple action, it surprised the hell out of Ino. Years ago, a few days after Sakura had ended their friendship, Sakura declared that she would not wear her forehead protector like that until she became a real shinobi. Now that Sakura had actually done it, it meant that she was finally ready to get serious. So, Ino did the same. She removed her forehead protector from around her waist and tied it around her forehead also.

A moment of silence passed between them before both girls nodded to one another and charged forward.

As Sakura ran forward, she quickly went through a set of hand seals and created 2 copies of herself that ran alongside her at the same pace. However, the jutsu didn't unnerve Ino in the least, who only smirked.

"That's you plan? A simple Clone Jutsu? Oh please, it's gonna take more than a lame trick like that!" Ino taunted as she met Sakura and her two clones head on.

As she ran forward, Ino paid close attention to the ground under her opponents, for that would give away which one the real Sakura was. Unlike a Shadow Clone Jutsu, where all of the clones are actual real copies of the user, clones created from a simple Clone Jutsu were only illusions, meaning they wouldn't disturb the ground under them. By paying attention to the floor, Ino was able to quickly figure which one was the real Sakura.

'_Gotcha billboard brow.'_

Ino jumped into the air, and using her momentum, drop kicked the Sakura that was on the left, sending her flying backwards and dispersing the other two Sakuras. Not wasting anytime, Ino ran forward, jumped into the air and dropped an elbow straight into Sakura's stomach. Instantly, all the air rushed out of Sakura and sharp waves of pain stabbed her stomach and abdomen, preventing her from drawing in a breath. Now that Sakura was temporarily disabled, Ino proceeded to stomp Sakura in the order of her left arm, left chest, left stomach, left upper leg, left lower leg, right lower leg, right upper leg, right stomach, right chest, right arm, and finally the jaw, effectively stomping her all over her body. Finally, she finished by leg dropping Sakura across her chest.

"Ya know, pinky, you shouldn't have worn that forehead protector around your forehead if you weren't going to be serious about it." Ino said as she stood over Sakura. "What happened to all that strength you showed against those Sound ninja guys?"

Hearing Ino's words, Sakura clenched her teeth and fought through the searing pain that was coursing throughout her entire body. She wasn't finished, not just yet. As Ino threw a punch strong enough to knock her unconscious, Sakura caught the incoming fist and squeezed it as hard as she could. Pain shot up Ino's arm, but before she could make a motion to scream, she was pulled toward Sakura and grabbed by the neck. Sakura stood up and lifted up by the neck before hurling Ino a distance away from her, only to rush forward with amazing speed and actually catch up to Ino's body a second later, pummeling her with hard punches as she ran alongside her body before finally let Ino's battered body skid across the ground. As soon as Ino stopped, Sakura jumped into the air and slammed her knee into Ino's stomach, forcibly pressing the wind out of her and sending stabs of sharp pain shooting into her abdomen and stomach. Despite the searing pain, Ino was able to roll out of the way through sheer determination, just as Sakura slammed her chakra charged fist into the spot where Ino was only moments before, creating a loud, thunderous crash with force of an earthquake.

Ino panted heavily as she steadily got to her feet, clutching her stomach and sweating profusely. Her entire body was throbbing with pain and was covered with numerous scratches and fresh dark bruises. As Ino glared at Sakura, her anger began to flare wildly dangerously again as she realized what Sakura had tried to do.

'_That little bitch! That one could've killed me!' _Ino thought to herself, letting her rage take over again. '_If that's how she wants to play, then fine! I've got something for her.'_

'_That glint in Ino's eye...wait...don't tell me she's actually gonna...' _Asuma let his voice trail off as he realized what Ino had planned. His cigarette almost dropped from his mouth as he gaped at his his teams kunoichi. "Oh no."

"Huh? Asuma, what is it? Is there something wrong?" Kakashi asked, noticing Asuma's alarmed gaze.

"Yes, something is wrong. That move that Ino is planning to use...it's deadly." Asuma said in a grave voice. "I warned her about letting her anger get the better of her."

"Why? What's up?" Naruto asked.

"It's another wrestling move that Ino developed while she was training for the exams. It resembles a powerbomb, except it delivers 5x as much force than a normal one. Which is more than enough force it takes to kill a person. Not only that, it requires a lot of chakra exertion and simply using it once leaves Ino drained. I just can't believe that she'd use it on Sakura of all people." Asuma explained.

"Wait, what!" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief. "We've gotta do something!"

"There's nothing we can do Naruto. Sakura will have to find her own way out of this." Kakashi said with a slightly grave tone.

Back on the arena floor, Ino had gone over what she would do once she was given the chance. Now, all she had to do was wait for Sakura to make the first move. She didn't have to wait long for Sakura had already charged forward, her fist poised and ready. Smirking, Ino charged forward also and managed to catch Sakura's fist before it could reach her face. Slightly caught off guard, Sakura tried to use her other hand to land a punch, but that was caught also. With both of Sakura's hands restrained, Ino decided that now was the time to make her move.

'_Perfect. And here I thought restraining her hands was going to be hard.' _Ino thought as she kneed Sakura in the gut as hard as she possibly could.

Still feeling the effects of the elbow she took to the stomach earlier, the throbbing pain in Sakura's gut intensified so much that it not only knocked the wind out of her, but the pain nearly caused her to pass out. Seeing that Sakura was weakened and doubled over, Ino forced Sakura's head between her thighs, grabbed the pink haired girl by her hips, and lifted her up so that her legs now rested on Ino's hips. Then, everyone watched in shock as Ino jumped high into the air using her chakra.

"This doesn't look good, for that pink haired girl at least." Kankuro said as he gazed up at Ino while she was up in the air.

"Liger Bomb!" Ino shouted as she came down like a North Korean nuclear missile.

Using the full force of her momentum, Ino slammed Sakura, back first, into the arena floor with unimaginable force. What resulted was a huge impact equal that of an asteroid striking the Earth. A powerful gale of wind kicked up lots of dust, forcing everyone to drop to the ground. The entire tower was rocked to it's foundation and the arena floor itself was nearly torn apart by the sheer force of the impact. A thunderous boom, 3x louder than the one Sakura, echoed throughout the arena, causing everyone to cover their ears. Even Hayate and Hiruzen himself were forced to take cover. After the tremors had stopped and the dust had cleared, everyone rose to their feet and rushed to the railing to look at the damage. What they saw made the breaths catch in their throats. The arena floor had been completely cracked apart. No longer was it in one solid piece like it had been before, but a bunch of large, cracked pieces. The force from the impact had torn the entire arena floor apart!

However, what really surprised everyone, was what lay in the middle of the destroyed arena floor. Ino stood over what appeared to be a lifeless Sakura, but not to far to Ino's right was another Sakura, who was on the ground and clutching her stomach. Needless to say, everyone was a little confused.

"Whoa! When did Ino learn something like that?" Kiba asked in disbelief.

Hinata and Shino remained silent. It was just too much for words.

'_I didn't know Ino was capable of pulling off something like that?' _Sasuke thought, his eyes widening for a few seconds.

"What happened? I was sure Sakura was a goner." Choji asked.

"Hmmm, more than likely, she switched herself with a Shadow Clone." Asuma said.

"When did Sakura learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Kakashi asked. "Last time I checked, she only knew the Clone Jutsu."

"Well...I kinda sorta taught it to her a few days ago back in the Forest of Death." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Wow, Sakura actually learned something from Naruto. Now I've seen everything." Shikamaru said sarcastically

Back on the arena floor, Ino looked down in shock as the Shadow Clone that she thought had been Sakura dispersed in a puff of smoke. Kakashi had been right. At the last moment, right before she hit, Sakura had replaced herself with a shadow clone and moved out of the way just in time.

'_That was too close. Where did Ino learn something like that?' _Sakura thought as she caught her breath.

Ino, meanwhile, was having mixed feelings over what she had just done. The larger part of her was pissed over the fact that Sakura had actually found a way to escape her Liger Bomb. It was her strongest attack and it had taken nearly the entire month and half to complete, considering she had to also build up her physical stamina and increase her chakra reserves. Now, Ino was left with hardly any chakra left, which made her even more pissed off.

On the other hand, the smaller part of her was in shock over the entire thing. In the event of her and Sakura facing each other in the exams, Ino had swore that she'd try to make sure that her rage didn't get the better of her. However, she'd gone back on her word, and now she'd nearly killed the girl whom she still had a few feelings for. To make a long story short, Ino felt both pissed and relived: pissed because her attack had failed and relieved for the almost the same reason.

'_Goddamn it! She actually found a way to escape the Liger Bomb!' _Ino thought to herself with a mix of both anger and disbelief. '_It doesn't make any sense. When did she get this strong?'_

With a growl of frustration, Ino clenched her fist and charged at Sakura again. Alarmed, Sakura fought through the pain as best she could and hurriedly got to her feet, wincing the entire time. Sakura then charged forward with her own burst of speed, her fist poised and ready.

'_I have to create some distance so I can have time to heal myself. Otherwise, I'll lose to much blood from these cuts.' _Sakura thought as she and Ino neared each other. Upon reaching each other, they both swung at the exact same time. The force of their hits were strong enough to knock both females a good distance away from each other and both hit the ground with a thud as they landed. Groaning in pain, Sakura slowly picked herself up from the ground and glared at Ino as she stood up also, panting heavily.

"This isn't the way it's supposed to go!" Ino hollered. "How can you be evenly matched with me?"

"I guess you right, _Ino_. Your obsession with you hair and your looks simply can't be surpassed. I, on the other hand, have been training far too hard to be worrying about that though." Sakura retorted nastily, just to get under Ino's skin.

At hearing Sakura's response, Ino narrowed her eyes dangerously and pulled out a kunai.

"That's it! I've had enough of you making fun of me!" Instead of charging forward like Sakura everyone else expected her to do, Ino instead raised began to raise her hands to her long ponytail.

Sakura's eyes widened in complete shock.

'_What's she doing? Wait...no...she isn't actually going to...'_

To the disbelief of Sakura and the other onlookers, Ino raised the kunai to her ponytail and sliced it clean off without hesitation! For almost her entire life, Ino's pride and joy had been her hair. All the long hours she spent brushing it, washing it, and taking care of it had just flown right out the window. After all, she'd just cut half of it off as though it meant nothing to her!

"There is that good enough for ya?' Ino said as she threw her ponytail at Sakura. They came apart upon leaving Ino's hand, and the numerous blonde hair strands floated slowly to the flower. "I don't need this to succeed!"

"This match has gone on long enough! It's time to put an end to this right now! Get ready to tell everyone you lost to me, billboard brow!"

At hearing this, Shikamaru's eyes widened.

'_Wait...don't tell me she's gonna...'_

After focusing enough of her chakra, Ino made a square with her fingers and put Sakura in the middle of them, thus confirming Shikamaru's suspicions.

"I knew it. That's the Mind Transfer Jutsu hand seal." Shikamaru said. "What the hell is she thinking? I'm usually have to restrain the enemy with my shadow before she uses it."

Sakura, meanwhile, wasn't in the least bit worried. She'd seen the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu enough times to know how it worked. The major downside to the Mind Transfer Jutsu is that if the user's soul misses the target, the soul of the user won't be able to its body for several minutes. All Sakura had to do was exploit that weakness and move at just the right moment. If she played her cards right, she could pick up an easy win.

"Look, Ino, I know your frustrated, but this is just pointless.." Sakura said with an arrogant tone.

"Yeah, well we'll just see about that." Ino replied as she prepared to execute her technique.

'_What is Ino thinking? The Mind Transfer Jutsu is used for spying. It's not a battle jutsu.' _Asuma thought. '_Sorry, but there's no way she can hit Sakura with that kind of jutsu.'_

With a smirk, Sakura broke off into a fast run with a burst of speed. If she could stay one step ahead of Ino, then she could avoid Ino's soul once it broke loose and pick up the win. For right now, she'd need to rely on her reflexes.

Ino tensed as she tried to focus Sakura exactly in the middle of her fingers. She knew this wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded, but she had to think of something. She wasn't about to let Sakura beat her, or else she'd never hear the end of it. As she watched, Sakura move back and forth to throw her off track, an idea flashed into Ino's mind. A smirk crossed Ino's face as she braced herself. She only had one shot. It was now or never.

"Ino! Don't do it!" Shikamaru yelled.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

Instantly, Sakura stopped running and both her body and Ino's body went limp at the same time. Ino slumped to her knees...and didn't move. Neither kunoichi seemed to even breathe. In fact, nobody throughout the entire arena even seemed to breathe! Tension became thick in the air as everyone watched to see if Ino's jutsu had been a success or not. Time seemed to slow down and not a single sound could be heard. The entire arena had grown as silent as a tomb.

"Did it...work?" Shikamaru asked hesitantly, breaking the silence.

Right on cue, Sakura's body began to stir slightly. Finally, Sakura picked her head up and opened her eyes. A second later, a smirk crossed her face.

She had succeeded.

"What an unfortunate choice...Ino." Sakura said.

"Damn. I guess it's all over then." Choji said in a disappointed tone.

"Heh, you're done Ino."

As Sakura moved to take a step toward her opponent, she found that she could not. Something was preventing her from moving either of her legs. Looking down, Sakura saw why she couldn't move and let out a surprised gasp. Around both her ankles was a rope made completely out of chakra. How and when they had gotten there was anyone's guess at the moment. Both puzzled and surprised, Sakura let out another gasp when she saw that the chakra ropes lead back to Ino. Instantly, she put two & two together.

"No way! I don't believe it!" Sakura hollered.

"Believe it! You fell for it, _Sakura. _I finally caught you." Ino said in a triumphant tone. "You see, all those hand seals I made a few minutes ago was all a bluff in order to get you to run right where I wanted you, and it worked. Now, you can't move at all and I suggest you give up on trying. That rope is made from my hair with my own chakra woven into it. Now that I have you trapped, I can take over your body and make you you submit."

With a smirk, Ino placed the chakra rope underneath her foot and made the same square with her fingers.

"This time, you're mine for sure! Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

Again, the entire arena went deathly silent as everyone watched to see what would happen next. At first there was no movement from either female, as both had gone limp. Only seconds later, Sakura finally began to stir. She moved her head a little bit from side to side to crack her neck, before finally opening her eyes and letting a smirk cross her face.

"Sakura?" Naruto said timidly.

"...Not quite" Sakura finally answered after a moment. Although, for moment, her tone sounded slightly different than the way it was supposed to sound. It was barely noticeable, but none the less, Kakashi caught it immediately.

"That's not Sakura." Kakashi said, catching both Naruto and Rock Lee by surprise.

"Why do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"The Mind Transfer Jutsu was a success. Sakura's body is now completely at Ino's will."

Both boys gaped at Kakashi in shock.

'_And just like that, it's over.' _Ino said within Sakura's mind. '_Now then, Sakura, if you'd be so kind...?'_

_Slowly, Ino began to lift Sakura's hand up until it was all the way up into the air._

_'__No...Sakura can't lose, not like this.' _Naruto thought sadly.

"Now, I, Sakura Haruno, would like to say that I..."

"NO! SAKURA, DON'T!" Naruto hollered as loud as he could, cutting Sakura/Ino off in mid sentence. "YOU WORKED SO HARD TO GET HERE SAKURA! DON'T DISGRACE YOURSELF BY LOSING TO INO LIKE THIS! WHAT THE HELL!"

'_Yell all you want Naruto-kun, but Sakura isn't going to respond. Sorry, but there's nothing you can do.' _Ino thought smugly.

Suddenly, Ino felt a powerful shockwave ripple throughout Sakura's mind. Almost instantly, Sakura's body froze up and became unresponsive, even to Ino's will. It felt as though something was pushing back Ino's control, trying to fight back.

"What? What's going on?" Sakura/Ino asked, her eyes wide from both surprise and confusion. Suddenly, Ino heard another voice within Sakura's mind.

'_Naruto...he's right. I can't let Ino win like this! Not after all I went through!' _Sakura's voice said. The force working against Ino became even stronger and Ino actually found herself losing control.

"Sakura! No, this can't be happening! Nobody can escape this jutsu!" Ino argued as she clutched her head.

Suddenly, from within Sakura's mind, Ino felt another presence behind her. She turned around, only to come face-to-face with Inner Sakura. This giant gray form of Sakura cracked her knuckles as she glared down at a surprised Ino.

"Ino! You little bitch! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!" Inner Sakura yelled as she grabbed Ino by her shirt collar.

"But...how? The Mind Transfer Jutsu is supposed to be unbeatable!" Ino protested as she squirmed.

Smiling in sadistic pleasure, Inner Sakura let go of Ino, only to uppercut her up into the darkness of Sakura's mind. As Ino shot further and further away from Inner Sakura, her control over Sakura's mind began to slip more and more. Until finally, her control left completely.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu: Release!" Sakura said as she focused her chakra, forcibly expelling Ino out of her mind.

Like a speeding bullet, Ino's soul returned to its original body with such force that Ino's body was blown back upon reentry. Sakura then dropped to her knees, panting heavily and glaring at Ino.

"I...don't believe it. Sakura actually broke out of Ino's Mind Transfer Jutsu." Shikamaru said in utter disbelief.

'_I see what happened. Ino had already used to much chakra when she did the Liger Bomb, leaving her too exhausted to fight against Sakura's will. Either way, Sakura isn't the type of girl to be broken that easily. And something tells me she would've broken out of the jutsu either way it went.'_

Back on the arena floor, both girls were locked in a glaring contest as they heavily caught their breath. By now, both girls were nearly drained of all chakra. In fact, they barely had enough for even one more attack.

"How...how can you have two spirits inside of you? What are you?" Ino asked.

"Heh...I'm someone who's just as strong as she as beautiful. I mean, a woman has to be tough if she's gonna survive in something like this." Sakura answered with a confident smile.

Back on the balcony, Kakashi watched both girls with a hidden smile of satisfaction, as both had come a long way.

'_Once you get caught in the Mind Transfer Juts, it's certainly not easy to cast out the invader.' _Kakashi thought to himself as both girls picked themselves up from the ground. '_Ino's lack of chakra contributed that's for sure. But even more important that that, was Sakura's defiant heart and combative attitude towards Ino. It also seems Naruto had something to do with it. His voice awakened Sakura's spirit, allowing her to cast Ino out. Just like I've seen in Naruto, Sakura's fighting spirit is stronger than the others, so she can overcome obstacles which are beyond her abilities. But now, their both almost out of chakra. This battle will started with brute force, and it shall end with brute force. All it takes now...is one more attack.'_

As the thought crossed Kakashi's mind, both Ino and Sakura charged at each other, focusing both of their chakra to their fists as they sped forward.

_'This ends now!'_

_'This ends now!"_

With the same thought on their minds, both girls brought their fists crashing into the other's jaw with near bone crushing force. Both females were blown back by the incredible force, sending a loud sounding smack echoing throughout the arena. After finally skidding to a stop, both battered females attempted to pick themselves up from the ground but failed. Both females fell back to the ground...and didn't move. After walking forward and looking between the two kunoichi, it didn't take long for Hayate to come to a decision.

"Since both combatants are unable to continue, nobody gets through the 4th round of these Preliminary Rounds by double knockout." Hayate announced. "This match is officially over."

At hearing the decision, almost the entire arena erupted in cries of protest. In the eyes of Squad 7, Squad 8, Squad 10, and Team Guy, both females should've made it through. As the teams shouted their outrage, both Kakashi and Asuma used the Body Flicker Technique to teleport down to the destroyed arena floor and retrieve their subordinates. Upon retrieving said unconscious girls, both Jonin teleported back up to the balcony and set them up against the wall to recover. Instantly, their respective teams crowded around them to make sure they were alright.

"Sakura! No!"

"Sakura, are you alright?"

"Ino, you okay?"

"Ino, please be okay."

"Everyone, quiet. These two need their rest." Kakashi said firmly, silencing everyone.

"Yeah, the trip to the infirmary isn't necessary." Asuma agreed. "These two should be waking up in a only a few minutes. Until then, let them rest. But even still, they put a hell of a good fight."

'_Despite her success with Naruto and Sasuke, I didn't think Sakura had what it takes to win here. But, she's grown a lot in the month and half that she's been gone. She may not have done as well as she would've liked, but still, a lot of good happened here. I really feel that it was the right choice to send her to these Chunin Exams."_

A few moments later, the screen in the top left corner of the front wall came to life again and began to go through another quick set of names. Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn from the two resting kunoichi to the now active screen. After only a few seconds, a new pair of names was now shown.

**Tenten vs Temari.**

**Alright, that concludes this chapter. Again, I apologize for the long wait and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please be sure to review and stay tuned to see how the next chapter turns out. Honestly though, I'm not too sure about this chapter. So if you didn't like this one, just let me know okay? I'll try to make the next one better. Like I said, I deeply apologize for the long wait and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one won't take as long.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, the anime would be more adult themed. Believe me on that one.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 33**

**Tenten vs Temari.**

Upon seeing her name up on the screen, Tenten smirked. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her turn had finally come. Seeing Sakura's and Ino's fight had gotten her excited. At this very moment, she was thanking every god she knew of. For is she'd had to wait for her turn to finally come, she was gonna explode. Without even having to be told, Tenten made her way down to the ruined arena floor and actually got there at the same moment as Temari. The stood apart from each other, staring the other down and daring her to look away.

'_I'm so ready. After seeing that last match I'm **fired **up!' _Tenten thought to herself.

"So, this is another Genin from the Sand Village? In that case, this should be very interesting." Neji said with a calm expression.

"Woo! Yeah! Go Tenten! You can do it!" Lee yelled as he cheered Tenten on.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ino was the first to wake up after her and Sakura knocked each other out during their match. At first, she was disoriented, panicked, and unsure of her surroundings. But after Choji came over and filled her in, she began to calm back down. She was too tired to move at the moment so she opted to sit there for a few minutes to gather her strength. As she sat there, she finally took notice of Sakura, who was sitting beside of her and still unconscious. One look was all it took to make the breathe catch in Ino's throat. The way the light shined on Sakura made her look so...angelic.

'_I actually forgot how beautiful Sakura looked when she sleeps." _Ino thought, thinking back to when her and Sakura were still friends. They used to have sleepovers so often back then. However, Ino quickly reprimanded herself for thinking the thought. She was supposed to be trying to get over the pink haired girl. But, still looking at Sakura, Ino couldn't help herself. She slowly reached her hand out to rub Sakura's face, however, she was forced to jerk her hand back when Sakura began to stir. Moments later, the pink haired kunoichi finally opened her eyes.

"So you finally woke up, eh Billboard Brow?" Ino said sarcastically. "Our match is already over, so don't get so worked up."

Sakura's eyes widened and tried to get to her feet, only to fail and slump back down again with a saddened look.

"So...did I lose then?" Sakura asked, on the verge of crying.

"Calm down, I should be the one crying. To think I tied with you, I still can't believe that happened."

"So then...?"

"Yep, it was a double knockout. We both lost."

At hearing this, Sakura felt even worse. How could she face Tsunade now? She'd given it her best shot, but she'd still failed. Sakura was about to let the tears flow, when suddenly, Ino reached out to hand her something. It was her forehead protector. It had been knocked off when Ino had punched her.

"Here, I believe you'll be looking for this." Ino said as she handed Sakura her forehead protector.

Sakura merely stared it at it for a minute before finally accepting it with a warm smile.

"Thanks. I actually didn't realize that it'd fallen off." Sakura said before she tied back around the top of her head in her usual style.

For the few minutes, after Tenten's match had started, the two kunoichi had just sat there and enjoyed each other's company while it lasted. However, as Sakura sat there and watched Tenten's battle against Temari, she suddenly thought back to something Ino had said during their match:_ After what you did, do you honestly think you're in any position to be looking down on me! _What had Ino meant by that? Truth be told, curiosity killed the cat. Sakura had to know and she had to know now.

"Hey, Ino?" At hearing her name being called, Ino turned to face Sakura with a waiting expression.

"During our fight you said something about "_after what I did". _Well, exactly what was it that I did?"

"..."

Ino didn't answer. Instead, memories of _that _day came flooding back to her_, _all the emotional pain and heartache she'd gone through. Instantly, the familiar rage returned and Ino's expression darkened. Alarmed, Sakura leaned back as though she'd been bitten.

"Ino?"

"Leave it _alone_, Sakura." Ino said in a dark tone.

"But Ino-"

Without warning, Ino reached out, grabbed Sakura by her throat and roughly pulled her closer.

"I said let it go! Got it?" Sakura visibly flinched at the coldness of Ino's tone. Even though the two had been the bitterest of enemies in the past, Ino had never used that sort of tone towards her. It sort of reminded her of when Naruto had gotten pissed at Sasuke for something back the training grounds awhile ago. And as Sakura looked into Ino's eyes, she saw a combination of pain and rage. Scared, Sakura could only nod her head. There's no telling what Ino would do if she tried to argue further.

After roughly shoving Sakura away, Ino got up and went to join Choji at the railing to see the rest of Tenten's match, leaving Sakura behind just as confused as ever.

* * *

As for Tenten's match...well...she put a good fight, but in the end, Temari was the one who prevailed. Despite Tenten giving it her best shot and using her most powerful technique, Temari was able to counter each and every one of Tenten's attacks with that giant iron fan she carried on her back. Every ninja weapon that Tenten threw her way was easily deflected. After completely disabling Tenten, Temari ultimately wrapped it up by using her giant fan to execute her Wind Scythe Jutsu, surrounding Tenten in a miniature tornado and cutting her with the numerous wind blades that made up the tornado itself. Tenten was then knocked unconscious when she landed, back first, on Temari's now folded up giant iron fan. Needless to say, Tenten had almost broken her back and had to be carried to the back via a stretcher.

* * *

After the match had been declared over by Hayate, everyone watched in grim silence as Tenten's unconscious form was carried off by the medical team. For Squad 8, it was nothing different from what they had seen up until now. So far, every opponent these Sand Genin have fought against have either winded up dead or seriously injured. First, it was that fight between Team Gaara and the team of Rain ninja in the Forest of Death. Squad 8 had arrived just in time to witness Gaara slaughter the entire team single handedly. Then there was that fight against Kabuto's other teammate who had gone against Kankuro. That guy had to be carried out on a stretcher after having nearly every bone in his body be broken. And now, Tenten had just been added to the list. It had become obvious that these Sand Genin were a huge threat.

"Damn, even Tenten didn't have a chance. From what I've heard, that girl's aim is supposed to be so precise that she can pin a fly to a tree from over a yard away without killing it. Despite how amazing that is, not even she could withstand the power of those Sand ninja." Kiba said in a grave tone, unaware that his knuckles had turned white from gripping the railing so hard. "I hate to admit it, but those Sand ninja are the last ones I wanna go against."

"Yeah, their practically unbeatable." Hinata agreed in her timid voice.

Akamaru only uttered a whimper and snuggled back into Kiba's jacket.

After seeing Temari's effortless win over Tenten, even Naruto was beginning to have seconds thought about going against them. He could hold his own, sure, but these guys were just plain dangerous. In fact, they were almost as dangerous as that Shiore chick he'd fought against in the Forest of Death, and she had been in a class of her own! With that being said, it was only natural that Naruto found himself gazing tensely at Gaara's squad.

"Don't worry Naruto. I'm sure you can take 'em." a voice said from beside Naruto.

Startled, Naruto looked to his left and found Sakura giving him a reassuring smile. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Sakura walk up to him. No telling how long she had been there!

"Sakura? You're alright?" Naruto asked in a surprised tone. "After that fight with Ino, I didn't think you'd be back on your feet so soon."

"F.Y.I, Naruto, I'm fine. But nevermind me, it's you that you should be thinking about." Sakura said with her hands on her hips.

"Sakura-chan, what are talking about? I haven't even had my match yet" Naruto argued.

"What I mean is, you don't wanna disgrace yourself after you've worked so hard to get here." Sakura clarified. Then, very casually she moved closer to whisper in Naruto's ear. "Besides, think of what Sasuke will say."

Naruto pondered for a moment before turning to look at said Uchiha. He was currently standing beside Kakashi, leaning against the wall and staring at the floor with a serious look, showing that he was deep in thought about something.

"Oh yeah. I guess you're right on that one." Naruto agreed.

"Oh, and one more thing. I just wanted to say thank you." Sakura added. "If you hadn't of called out when you did, there's no telling what would've happened. If it hadn't of been for you, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

"...Yeah, that's true." Naruto said casually.

'_Why you little-'_

Sakura's angry rant was cut short by the sound of Hayate clearing his throat.

"Everyone, if I may please have your attention, it's time to begin the next match." Hayate declared.

All conversations in the arena quited down as the screen came to life once more. Pairs of names rapidly flashed across the screen for several minutes until finally stopping on a new pair.

**Shikamaru Nara vs Kin Tsuchi.**

**

* * *

**

As his name appeared on the screen, Shikamaru let out a groan. He had been hoping that his match would come last, but so much for that happening now. Although, the thought of forfeiting did cross his mind for a few minutes. However, after pondering it for a few moments, Shikamaru dismissed the idea. If his mom found out he'd quit before at least even trying, she'd bitch at him until his ears bleed, and that was last thing he wanted to deal with right now. So, with a groan and an irritated expression, Shikamaru made his way down to the cracked apart arena floor.

"I guess it's me now." Shikamaru said lazily. Up on the balcony, Ino continued to cheer him on as loudly as she could, which only succeeded in grating on Shikamaru's nerves even more. "Alright, I heard you the first hundred times Ino. Jesus."

Also, from up on the balcony, Neji Hyuga was watching Shikamaru intently also.

'_Shikamaru...so that's his name.' _Neji thought to himself.

A few minutes later, both Shikamaru and Kin were on the arena floor, staring each other down.

"Great, I have to fight a girl...again." Shikamaru said in an uninterested tone. "Man, this is such a drag."

"Yeah, you just keep think that way little man." Kin said confidently.

As Kin glared at him with narrowed eyes, Shikamaru began to go over what he already knew so far about his opponent.

'_Alright, I know what these Sound ninja guys are capable of from the time we met them in forest for the second exam. Problem is, I didn't get a look at **her **jutsu. And to make things worse, she saw **mine.** Oh well, nothing I can do but go along.'_

"Okay, you two may begin." Hayate said, sweeping his hand in the space between them and stepping back to a safe distance.

"I guess the shadows is all I've got." Shikamaru said as he made the hand seal for his Shadow Possession Jutsu. However, before he could actually activate the said jutsu, he was interrupted by Kin.

"You're not going to try that shadow thing again, are you?" Kin teased in a her slightly nasally voice, succeeding in throwing Shikamaru off track.

"Shut your damn mouth!" Shikamaru hollered before finally concentrating his chakra. "Ninja Art: Shadow Possession Jutsu."

At that moment, Shikamaru's shadow came to life at that moment at surged towards Kin, who only smirked as it came closer and closer.

"Is that all you know? If that's the only trick you've got, then this is going to be easier than I thought." Kin taunted as she skipped backwards and then to the left, easily avoiding Shikamaru's shadow.

As she moved to the left, Kin reached into her weapons pouch and threw out two senbon needles with bells attached to the ends of them. Alarmed, Shikamaru broke off the jutsu and moved to the side, allowing the senbon needles to whiz by him and embed themselves into the wall behind him. Needless to say, Shikamaru wasn't impressed.

"Bell? Heh, not that old trick. I suppose next you'll throw out senbon with bells and ones without bells at the same time. I'll react to the bells, and while I'm focused on dodging them, I won't notice the silent needles coming at me. Am I right?" Shikamaru asked with a devious smirk.

'_Hmm, he's very sharp. Almost as sharp as the Uchiha." _Neji thought as Kin charged towards Shikamaru.

"You sure talk a lot, don't cha asshole?" Kin said as she threw out a handful of senbon needles.

"Heh, now I know to dodge all of the senbon and not just the ones with bells." Shikamaru said as he effortlessly dodged the senbon needles, despite how fast Kin threw them. At that moment, Shikamaru was feeling pretty good about himself. So far, he'd managed to see through his opponent's technique, which now put him one step ahead. If he could keep this up, he'd be able to win. All of this was going through Shikamaru's mind when he finally heard the bells ring.

Wait a minute...the senbon were lodged into the wall. So how could the bells be ringing?

Surprised, Shikamaru turned around, and sure enough, the bells were moving and ringing all on their own. Or at least, that's the way it seemed. As he looked a little more closely, Shikamaru was able to see the hair-thin threads to which the bells were attached to. The threads were being tugged by Kin, causing the bells to ring. After watching the bells being manipulated, Shikamaru finally realized that he was being distracted.

"Wait...oh shit!"

"Too late!" Before Shikamaru could move, Kin through out two more senbon needles that shot straight towards Shikamaru's chest. Thinking quickly, Shikamaru moved his arm in the way at the last second, resulting in the senbon needles lodging themselves in his arm. Feeling sharp pain course throughout his arm, Shikamaru dropped to his knees and quickly removed the needles from within his flesh.

"That was close. One inch higher and that could've been a fatal hit." Shikamaru said as he discarded the senbon needles to the side. "Alright, now I get a turn."

"Sorry, that was your turn." Kin replied smartly as she pulled on the threads again, causing the bells to ring.

At first, nothing happened. However, after a few seconds, Shikamaru began to feel lightheaded. Soon, he became dizzy, his vision blurred, and his body became sluggish and unresponsive.

"Arhh...what...the hell?"

Seeing that Shikamaru was feeling the effects if her jutsu, Kin couldn't help but smirk.

"You see, these bells send out a peculiar sound vibration that travels through both the outer and inner ear and then directly to the brain itself. First comes paralysis, and soon, you'll start hallucinating."

To prove her point, Kin continued to manipulate the bells, causing them to ring in a steady rhythm. Immediately, Shikamaru became even more lightheaded and nauseas. In response, he covered his ears in an attempt to block out the sound.

"That won't work. You can't block the sound out once it's already in your head. Basically, anything you do is useless."

No sooner had Kin gotten finished speaking when Shikamaru finally began hallucinating. What was once one Kin split into a dozen all at once. At seeing this, Shikamaru knew that he had to think of something and quick, otherwise he was completely screwed.

"Damn it. I can't tell which one is her." Shikamaru said frustration.

"You can't move your arms or legs at this point. And even if you could, you wouldn't know which one of us to hit with your shadow." all of the Kins' said in unison. "Face it, you're fucked little man. And now I'm gonna finish you nice and slow."

True her word, Kin reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out another handful of senbon needles. Shikamaru was practically helpless as the senbon came at him and lodged them selves in his chest. Luckily, Kin hadn't hit any vital points.

"That was three that time. Next time I'll throw 5. Each time, I'll throw out a couple more until you end up looking like a hedgehog." Kin said arrogantly.

"Stop fucking around with me! If you're gonna do it, then finish it already." Shikamaru urged.

"Aww, what's the matter? Are you not a fan of my slow and painful method?" Kin teased. "Fine then, suit yourself. I'll use the quick **and **painful method then."

Kin pulled out three more senbon needles and was about to hurl them at Shikamaru, when suddenly, her hand froze halfway up. It was as though some force had taken control of her arm. Although, now that she noticed, she didn't have control over part of her body anymore!

"What the hell?" Kin said as her other copies vanished, signalling that the jutsu had worn off. "I can't move my arm!"

"Heh, it looks like my lame shadow jutsu was a success after all." Shikamaru said as he pulled the senbon needles out of his chest and discarded them away.

"What? You haven't thrown any shadows! I made sure of that!" Kin shot back.

"You really don't see it huh? Look at that thread you're holding. Don't you find it strange that a thread that thin would cast a shadow at the height your holding it?"

As Shikamaru spoke, the shadow image of Kin holding the thread demorphed and returned to being a shapeless dark blob under her feet. However, both her shadow and Shikamaru's shadow were now connected.

"Heh, of course you didn't notice it. You were too focused on other things, like killing me for example." Shikamaru added smartly.

"But...how?" Kin demanded.

"Simple. I stretched my shadow out along the line of that thread and followed it all the way back. Now, I'm attached to you!"

To prove his point, Shikamaru stretched his arm out forward. Of course, Kin had no choice but to do the same, though against her will. Despite the turn of events, Kin wasn't impressed.

"Okay, so we mirror each others movements. It's a cute trick, but what do you gain by it?"

"Man, you're annoying. Just shut the hell up and watch."

With a confident smirk, Shikamaru reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a shuriken. Against her will, Kin was forced to do the same as well. Instantly, she was alarmed.

"Are you insane?" Kin asked with wide eyes. "If you throw that shuriken at me, you'll just be attacking yourself!"

"Makes it interesting, doesn't it?" Shikamaru asked as he prepared to hurl the shuriken.

"You wouldn't."

"Yeah, it's just like a game of "Chicken". Now, let's see who ducks first!"

With a grunt from Shikamaru, both he and Kin threw their shuriken at the exact same time. The projectiles whizzed past each other and towards their targets. As soon as the shuriken came close enough, Shikamaru sharply leaned all the way back, allowing the shuriken to harmlessly pass by.

'_Hmph, no problem. I'll just do that t-'_

Kin was unable to finish her thought, for upon leaning back in the same was Shikamaru, the back of her head came into contact with the wall behind her, knocking her out cold. The shuriken that Shikamaru had thrown lodged itself in the wall only inches above her head. Any lower, and it would've embedded itself in her forehead.

"And that's what I call "using your head"." Shikamaru said as she rose back up to stand straight. "A wise shinobi carefully scouts the physical layout of the battlefield and never looses sight of his position on it. That was her problem. I made sure she was so busy focusing on me, that she didn't notice the wall inches behind her head. So when we both dived backwards, KABONG! Now who's hearing bells?"

Hayate nodded as he raised his hand and motioned to Shikamaru.

"The winner of this match: Shikamaru Nara."

"Yeah, kick ass Shikamaru!" Ino yelled.

"Yes! I knew he could do it!" Choji cheered.

At the other end of the same balcony, Neji was speechless.

'_He's brilliant. In only a few short minutes, before the match had even begun, he'd already thought 5 steps ahead. It was perfectly coordinated, down to the last detail.' _Neji thought, impressed with what he'd seen. As Neji watched Shikamaru make his way back upstairs, that fluttering feeling in his stomach decided to come back. He'd felt it when he'd first seen the Nara Clan member and his team walk through the double doors. Now, it was back and just as strong as before. This feeling, whatever it was, was really starting to frustrate the living hell out Neji. He'd get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

"Man, I don't believe this! Even a lazy bum like him got his turn. When is it going to be my turn next." Naruto pouted, growing impatient.

'_Hmm, it looks like it's only me left.'_ Dosu thought to himself as he watched Kin be carried to the back, via stretcher.

"Alright, let's move on to the next match." Hayate announced.

Everyone quited down as the screen came to life once more. Names rapidly flashed across the screen, though not as long as it had taken before. Obviously, it was because the number of candidates was growing smaller. After a couple of minutes, a new pair of names was now listed.

**Naruto Uzumaki vs Kiba Inuzuka.**

**

* * *

**

At seeing his name up on the screen, Naruto felt instant energy overwhelm him. Finally, his turn had come. He would finally get to show the other what he was made of. Seeing all the other matches had his blood boiling and he was ready to let off some steam and flex his muscles. For he not only wanted everyone else's recognition, he wanted Sasuke's recognition most of all. Hopefully, he'd be watching.

"Yes! Finally, my turn is here! I finally get to show what I've got!" Naruto cried happily, giddy with so much excitement that he could barely contain himself.

'_Finally, Naruto's match. And he's against Kiba, of all people. Alright dobe, let's see what jutsu you pull out of your sleeve this time.' _Sasuke thought as he watched his kitsune glow with happiness.

"Look at that Akamaru! We got the kid! Looks like we won the lottery!" Kiba exclaimed happily, earning him a few happy yips from Akamaru as he panted excitedly. After waiting for so long, Kiba was finally getting a chance to see what the Rinnegan could do firsthand. He couldn't ask for a better match! He'd been a little freaked out by Naruto's display back at registration, but that had actually peaked his curiosity more. He'd been wanting to see what else Naruto could do, and now he was getting his chance!

"Good luck Naruto-kun. Do your best!" Sakura cheered.

"You know it Sakura-chan! I feel like I could wrestle a grizzly bear right now!"

As Naruto cheered that his turn had finally come, Lee slumped him disappointment.

"Oooh, I am going to die of old age before I get my turn! I just want a chance to show Sakura-chan what I am made of! Eventually, she will get tired of waiting! All I want is a chance! Is that too much to ask?" Lee complained.

_'Lee...he's just like Guy used to be, back in his younger years.' _Kakashi thought as he turned to look at his self proclaimed rival.

Feeling that he was being watched, Guy turned to look at Kakashi. At first, all he offered was a blank stare, before abruptly giving a thumbs up and flashing his sparkling white teeth, causing Kakashi to sweat drop.

"Alright, I have to get going, but first..." Naruto ran over to Sasuke and captured the surprised Uchiha in a tight hug. "Watch me, okay?"

Sasuke gave a small, but genuine smile and nodded as he hugged Naruto back. He wouldn't miss this for the world, no way. After a minute, Naruto pulled away and made his way down to the arena floor along with Kiba and Akamaru. All the while, Kakashi watched the bubbly blonde with a hidden smile.

'_It's your moment Naruto. Go on and show us how much you've grown.'_

_

* * *

_

A few moments later, Naruto and Kiba stood facing each other on the arena floor, both with a confident smirk. Around them, everyone waited in tense silence to see who would make the first move.

"Sorry Kiba. Don't take it personally if I completely blow you away" Naruto taunted.

"WHAT! You little asshole! That's what I was gonna say, but not as polite!" Kiba hollered back in an irritated tone.

"Oh yeah! Well, talking is easy! Let's see what you've gotta say at the end of the match!" Naruto retorted back while pointing an accusing finger at Kiba.

Kiba growled and muttered under his breath as he pulled Akamaru out from inside his jacket and gently set the white dog on the floor.

"Hey! Are you kidding me or something? What's the puppy doing here?" Naruto asked heatedly. "He's just gonna get in the way!"

"Deal with it! I never go into battle without Akamaru!" Kiba replied. Akamaru let out a number of barks to show his agreement.

"Hayate,-sensei, isn't that against the rules or something?" Naruto asked as he pointed at Akamaru.

"No. Like Shino's bugs, Akamaru is a part of Kiba. Therefore, he falls within the rules as a Ninja Tool." Hayate explained.

Naruto gave him a disapproving glare.

"Yeah, well whatever. I do my best work with a handicap anyways."

"Ha! We'll see about that." Kiba shouted back. "Akamaru, you stand back and leave all this to me. I've got it."

Akamaru growled in disagreement under his breath but took a few steps back anyway.

"C'mon Naruto! Kick that creep's ass!" Sakura cheered from the balcony.

'_Be careful with this one Kiba. Let him reveal his techniques first, then strike.' _Kurenai silently thought to herself.

'_I should cheer on Kiba, since he's on my team. Although, I want to cheer for Naruto too. I cannot cheer for them both at the same time, can i?" _Hinata thought to herself. In the end, she just decided to wish them both the best of luck.

Meanwhile, Kiba was giving Naruto some observing looks, trying to size him up. Hayate had gone over to tell the Hokage something important at the last minute, so Kiba decided to use this time to his advantage.

'_I wonder...How strong as he gotten since becoming a Genin? Back the academy, his skills were a complete joke. He couldn't even do a decent Transformation Jutsu! But after that display back at registration, I'm starting to wonder if that was all just an act.'_

"Look Naruto, since I feel sorry for you, I'm gonna finish this with one shot and save you the embarrassment if this match goes on." Kiba said bluntly.

"Yeah right. You must be even dumber than you look if you think you can beat me." Naruto shot back.

"You know something? You sure talk tough, but you can't back it up!" Kiba angrily growled, baring his teeth. "You're about to find out that my bite is worse than my bark!"

Before Naruto could make a comeback, Hayate decided to walk up at that moment.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, let's get on with the 7th match." Hayate said before breaking into a fit of coughing. "Naruto Uzumaki vs Kiba Inuzuka. You may begin when ready."

* * *

Without further consent, Kiba made the "tiger" hand seal and smirked as he felt his chakra surge throughout him. Naruto watched with a raised eyebrow as light blue mist began to swirl eerily around the Inuzuka Clan member.

'_Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu.'_

A Kiba fell to the ground got on all fours. His normal teeth transformed to become fangs and his nails lengthened to become claws. Chakra-enhanced adrenaline pumped through his veins, giving Kiba accelerated fighting instincts and reflexes. Kiba let out a dog-like growl and bared his fangs before charging forward with inhuman speed.

Before Naruto could even fathom that Kiba had moved, the Inuzuka member had already elbowed him in the gut, effectively knocking him back and knocking the wind out of him. The force of the hit sent Naruto actually bouncing across the ground before finally skidding to a stop. Naruto lay on the ground a good distance away from Kiba and didn't move, nor did he even so much as twitch. Everyone waited a few moments to see what would happen, however, Naruto still did not move.

"Heh, he won't be waking up for a while." Kiba said confidently. "I knew he was just talk. You can go ahead and call the match now Hayate."

"Damn. After what he did at registration, I figured Naruto would at least put up a good fight." Shikamaru said. "Though, considering he was the dead last of our year, I'm not really all that surprised."

"Yeah. Even with the Rinnegan, he's just not up to it." Choji agreed.

"Naruto-kun, that was just...plain embarrassing." Rock Lee said disappointedly.

"What the hell was that? I blinked and it was over!" Kankuro said in disbelief. "That kid is supposed to be the Rinnegan Master? I can't believe I was actually afraid of him for a few minutes that day."

As everyone shook their heads at how ridiculously fast the match had ended, Squad 7 was having trouble actually accepting what had just happened.

"I...can't believe it. Naruto-kun can't lose like this." Sakura said disappointedly.

"Hn. I kind of wish I hadn't of seen that." Sasuke muttered. '

Despite everyone's lack of faith, Kakashi smirked underneath his mask.

"Actually, I wouldn't count Naruto out just yet if I were you." Kakashi said confidently.

"What do you mean Kakashi-sensei? Look at him, he's out cold." Sakura pointed out.

"Just watch and you'll see what I mean."

Sakura shrugged and went back to watching the scene on the arena floor. Naruto was still unmoving and Hayate was watching him intently. After a few more minutes, Hayate had came to a decision.

"In the event of an instant knockout, the winner is Kiba Inu-" Hayate stopped himself as he noticed movement. "Huh?"

Confused, Kiba looked over in Naruto's direction and gaped in shock. Without a sound, Naruto slowly rose to his feet. At first, he just stood there. However, after a few minutes, he picked his head up, cracked his neck a couple of times, and his eyes finally shot open. Kiba's eyes widened to become larger than plates. For, instead of looking at Naruto's ocean blue eyes, he was staring at the Rinnegan.

"Don't **ever **underestimate me, _Kiba._" Naruto said in a deep, arrogant tone.

Kurenai gasped. '_Those eyes! It's the actual Rinnegan. The kekkei genkai that was once possessed by the the "Father of the Ninja World"._

'_Heh, things are damn sure about to kick up now.' _Asuma thought with a smirk.

'_Those eyes again! And here I was thinking I wasn't gonna get to see them.' _Kiba thought to himself as he became mesmerized by Naruto's eyes. However, he quickly snapped himself out of his trance.

"Hn, just more tough talk! Look at yourself in a mirror Naruto. You're a mess!"

"Ha! I left myself open and let you have the first move so I evaluate your strength!" Naruto shot back. "Frankly, you hit like an old bitch! In fact, you're better off letting the puppy fight for you!"

Kiba gritted his teeth in frustration. "You're gonna regret that dead last! Let's do this Akamaru."

Akamaru gave a bark of agreement before he and Kiba charged at Naruto. As they raced towards the blonde, Kiba reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out two bright purple spheres. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he studied them.

"Smoke grenades?"

"Take this!" Kiba yelled as he hurled the smoke grenades.

As the bright purple balls came into contact with Naruto, they burst into a big, thick cloud of purple of smoke that completely engulfed Naruto. As he looked around from within the cloud of smoke, Naruto came to the conclusion that the smoke made normal vision useless, as he couldn't even see his own hand a few inches from his face. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Naruto was sent staggering back as hard punch connected with his cheek. Then another punch connected with his stomach, then his other cheek, and then his side. Soon, Naruto was getting hit from every direction by unseen force. Since he couldn't see the attacks coming, Naruto was unable to put up a defense.

'_This is bad. I can't see a thing in all this smoke. I need to get out of here, and fast!' _Naruto thought to himself.

Before another attack could come his way, Naruto turned and bolted out of the cloud of smoke. However, no sooner had Naruto ran out when he saw Akamaru snarling and running toward him.

"Ha! He feel for it!" Kiba said from within the smoke.

Naruto yelped as Akamaru jumped and sank his teeth into Naruto's arm. In response, Naruto stagger back, sending both himself and Akamaru tumbling back into the thick cloud of smoke. Kiba then did a number of backflips and exited the smoke as it dissipated. That had gone better than he had anticipated.

As the smoke fully cleared, Akamaru gave out a triumphant bark as he sat beside what appeared to be an unconscious Naruto. Wagging his tail excitedly, Akamaru then broke off into a run as he made his way back to his master.

"Yeah! This fight is over!" Kiba announced victoriously. "Good doggy! Way to g-"

Kiba was cut off in mid sentence as, instead of running into his open arms, Akamaru instead sank his canines into Kiba's arm, throwing everyone completely off guard. For as long as everyone had known the duo, Akamaru had _**never **_bitten Kiba before!

"Hey? Akamaru? What're you doing?" Kiba asked in disbelief.

"Surprise! Gotcha!" Akamaru growled out in Naruto's voice, shocking the living hell out of Kiba and everyone else.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke, and a second later, Naruto was now biting into Kiba's arm instead of Akamaru.

"You bastard! You used a Transformation Jutsu!" Kiba hollered.

Now officially pissed off, Kiba stood and angrily shook Naruto off of him, who was now looking an unhealthy green color.

"Gross, you smell worse than the dog!" Naruto said as he spat Kiba's taste out of his mouth

"Wait a minute. Where's Akamaru?" Kiba asked.

"He right here." said a Naruto clone, holding Akamaru up by his front legs.

"What! How did you-" Kiba trailed off and let out a growl, frustrated at being outsmarted by his class's dead last.

"Wow." Ino said from up on the balcony. "Who would've thought that Naruto would be able to keep up with Kiba."

"Yeah, to balance a Transformation Jutsu with a Shadow Clone Jutsu at the same time, it's unheard of." Shikamaru agreed. "He shouldn't be able to do that, especially being the dead last and all."

"He's got his jutsu down, that's for sure." Temari said with a smirk.

"I'll admit, the kid's got style." Kankuro replied.

'_Hmm, he's an interesting one no doubt." _Neji thought to himself.

"Okay, so you've gotten a little stronger, but nearly strong enough to beat me." Kiba said after listening to the whispers going around the arena. "Now it's time to get serious."

Closing his eyes to concentrate better, Kiba began to go over a different number of possible jutsus that he could use. After only a couple of minutes, Kiba finally decided on the perfect jutsu. One that was sure to knock Naruto down for the count and break the tie. Opening his eyes, Kiba could hold back his smirk, making Naruto suddenly feel uneasy.

"Naruto, if I were you, I'd let Akamaru go." Kiba said as he reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a food pill.

With his smirk growing even wider, Kiba tossed the dark purple pill through air towards Akamaru, who easily caught it in his mouth and swallowed. Suddenly, after a few moments, the change began. Akamaru began to growl low in his throat as his fangs lengthened, the hair all over his body stood on end, his fur turned blood red, and his pupils and irises disappeared. Now a transformed beast, Akamaru snarled viciously as he thrashed in the Naruto clone's grip. Finally becoming enraged, Akamaru focused all of the power to his hind legs and kicked behind him, causing the Naruto clone to fall back and disperse.

After Akamaru rejoined his side, Kiba pulled out another food pill, slipped it his own mouth, and swallowed it.

"Let's go Akamaru!" Kiba said in a gruff voice, having undergone his beast transformation after eating the food pill. "Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: Man-Beast Clone!"

After focusing his chakra, Kiba got on all fours once again. However, instead of charging forward like he did last time, Akamaru jumped up on top of his back and let out a vicious sounding bark before being engulfed in a puff of smoke. A moment later, an exact clone of Kiba was now hunched over on all fours ontop of the real Kiba's back.

"Now, Akamaru, let's finish this!" Kiba said.

Kiba and his clone then charge forward at the exact same time, faster than the normal eye can keep up. After charging at Naruto halfway, the pair then jumped into the air and came back down sharply, claws bared. Luckily, the Rinnegan allowed Naruto to keep up with their movements and he was able to move out of the way just in time. Before Naruto could begin to rest, the two Kibas rushed at him again. One of them tried to slice him with its claws and the other actually ran on the wall and then lunged at him in an attempt to cut his throat out. The pair seemed to strike from every direction, and each time, Naruto was barely able to move out of the way.

'_They've got me off balance. At this rate, I won't be able to put up a counter attack. All I can do for right now and keep on my feet and stay out of their way, but for how long will that last?' _Naruto thought to himself as he backflipped up into the air to avoid being hit from both sides. Unfortunately, that was his mistake.

"Now I've gotcha!" Kiba said in a bloodthirsty tone. "Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!"

At the exact same moment, both Kiba and Akamaru ran towards Naruto's position and began to spin at high speeds as they ran along. Resembling twin cyclones, Kiba and Akamaru launched into the air and plowed directly into Naruto at the same time, hitting Naruto with near bone crushing force and causing massive damage. Naruto then fell back to the ground and coughed up a little blood as he hit the arena floor, earning him a few gasps from Hinata and Sakura.

"Heh, that should put him down. Go ahead and call the match Hayate-san." Kiba said.

After waiting for a few more moments, Hayate was just about declare Kiba the winner when Naruto finally began to stir. Then, slowly, Naruto rose back to his feet, much to everyone's surprise. Kiba had hit him pretty hard, and for Naruto to stand back up after that, was a sight to see. Blood dropped down his face from underneath his forehead protector and he had an exhausted look in his eyes.

"I'm not going down that easily." Naruto said as he panted heavily. "If I'm gonna be the Hokage one day, then I can't lose here."

"Hokage? There's no way a fool like you can be Hokage! You must be weak in the head! In fact, you might as well forget about it! Because **I'm **gonna be Hokage!" Kiba said before breaking into a fit of bellowing laughter.

As Naruto listened to Kiba laugh, he could feel his rage building. All his life, he had been laughed at and made fun of because of his goal to become the Hokage someday. Nearly everyone around him saw him as a fool, a failure with an impossible goal. He wanted to become Hokage not only because he wanted people to look up to him and respect him, but because he wanted people to finally acknowledge him. Now, everyone he wanted to impress was watching and he wasn't about to blow it. He would make Kiba eat his words before this fight was over.

"Sorry, but it's **you **who can forget about being Hokage. Because...**I'm** the top dog around here." Naruto said in a low voice, his fists clenched.

Kiba stared at Naruto in shock upon hearing his bold statement. However, his look of surprise turned into smirk.

"You're a glutton for punishment aren't you?"Kiba said, pointing at Naruto. "You know what? To hell with it! It's your funeral anyway. I'm gonna make sure you don't get up ever again dead last!"

With renewed blood lust, both Kiba and Akamaru charged forward again. Like before, Kiba reached into his weapons pouch, pulled out two more smoke grenades, and hurled them Naruto, once again engulfing the blonde in a thick cloud of purple smoke. Just before they reached the cloud, Kiba and Akamaru began to spin at ferocious speeds again and dived right in, intent on making Naruto stay down this time. Before actually, striking him, the pair zipped around him in direction to throw him off balance. After buzzing around him wildly for a few minutes, Kiba decided that it was time to move in for the kill. However...

"Shinra Tensei!" Naruto shouted as he made the "Ram" hand seal.

Right before either Kiba or Akamaru could strike him, both were blown away from Naruto by an incredible, but unseen, force. The pair were forcefully thrown out of the cloud of smoke and the smoke itself was blown away as well. After both Kiba and Akamaru had finally come to stop, they looked back and stared at in Naruto with looks of both shock and confusion.

'_What the hell was that just now? It felt like I was blown away by...nothing.'_ Kiba thought to himself.

Besides Kiba and Akamaru, everyone else was just as confused.

"Does someone care to explain what happened?" Choji asked, speaking for everyone.

"I'd be glad to." Kakashi said from his spot against the wall. "You see, the Rinnegan uses some kind of jutsu to control gravity. Using himself as the epicenter, Naruto can unleash a gravitational force that can either pull in or push objects away from him, similar to the magnetic laws of attraction and repulsion. He can also control the direction and range of the attack at will. Meaning, he can send the gravitation wave in any direction or all around him at the same time. In this case, it was the latter."

"So you're saying the Rinnegan can actually manipulate the force of gravity?" Guy asked.

"Precisely." Kakashi replied. "However, from what I've heard from Master Jiraiya, there is a 5 second interval between using the attack. This disables Naruto from using the jutsu consecutively."

"Can it see chakra too?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, much like the Sharingan, but not to the extent of the Byakugan. As an added bonus, the Rinnegan can also see hidden barriers, something the Sharingan and Byakugan cannot do." Kakashi added. "However, what I find most remarkable is its ability of shared vision."

"Shared vision" Asuma said questioningly.

"Yes. When Naruto creates shadow clones, they have the ability to activate the Rinnegan as well. Using the ability of shared vision, Naruto can see whatever his clones see and vice versa. This mean, that when in battle, Naruto has absolutely no blindspots. Its kind of like a number of security cameras looking at the same object, but from different angles. If one clone sees the target, they all can see it and from the same direction as the clone thats looking at the target. The only way to create a blind spot is to blind all the other clones and attack the real Naruto or blind them all, and then attack." Kakashi explained.

'_I don't believe it. The abilities of the Rinnegan are out of this world! How do you compete against something like that?' _Kurenai thought to herself. '_Now that Naruto has finally gotten serious, Kiba had better watch out. Even with his skills, and despite how this fight has gone so far, he could still lose this match.'_

"Sorry again Kiba, but that move isn't going to work on me anymore. So you might as well give up." Naruto said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It'll save you the embarrassment."

'_Damn it! As long as he can use that weird jutsu to push us away, neither me nor Akamaru can get close to him. Unless, of course, there's a time limit between when he can use it next.' _Kiba thought. '_Only one way to find out.'_

"Hey, Akamaru, just follow my lead for right now." Kiba said before charging forward at Naruto.

As he and Akamaru raced forward, Kiba reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a handful of kunai knives. Once he'd come closer enough to his target, Kiba hurled the projectiles at Naruto, only to have them all deflected back, though Kiba saw it coming this time.

"Akamaru, do the same and quick!" Kiba commanded, as they were closing in on Naruto rapidly.

Without having to be told twice, Akamaru reached his own weapons pouch and threw out another handful of kunai knives. Naruto smirked under his mask as he tried to unleash the gravity shield again, but nothing happened. Alarmed, Naruto was forced to move out of the way as the kunai whipped past him at great speeds.

'_I knew it! Even the mighty Rinnegan has a weak point! I've gotta hurry and wrap this up!' _Kiba thought to himself. "Alright Akamaru, one more time! Fang Over Fang!"

"Shit! They found out the weakness!" Naruto cried out in both shock and horror.

Before he could make a move to get out of the way, Kiba and Akamaru had already jumped into the air and come back down as hard as they could while spinning even faster than before, plowing into Naruto directly at the same time and cratering the blonde into the ground. A few moments later, both Akamaru did a backflip out of the crater and landed with triumphant smirks.

"Yes, we did it!" Kiba said as he slapped Akamaru a high five. "This match is ours!"

"I wouldn't say that just yet, _Kiba." _Naruto said from within the crater.

Both Kiba's and Akamaru's jaws dropped as they gaped at the smoking crater not to far away from them. As the dust finally began to dissipate, they could finally make out Naruto's silhouette.

"There's no way Naruto could get up from something like that." Shino said, finally speaking up since his match against Kabuto's teammate named Misumi. "Kiba hit harder than he did before. Therefore, Naruto shouldn't even be moving right now, let alone standing on his feet."

Meanwhile, as the smoke fully dissipated, Kiba's mouth dropped open even more at what he saw. Standing in the crater was Naruto, of course, but with one huge difference: his skin was now an almost black color. Needless to say, this baffled everyone in the arena as they tried to make sense of what they were seeing.

"What happened to Naruto-kun's skin?" Ino asked.

"It's a jutsu called the Earth Style: Earth Spear." Kakashi said. "Basically, the user flows chakra through all parts of their body, which hardens their skin to a steel-like quality. This increases their defensive power to the utmost limits and turns their skin an almost black color. Furthermore, the destructive power of physical attacks is increased and there are barely even a handful of attacks that can penetrate it. However, due to it being an Earth Style Technique, it is weak against Lightning Style Jutsus."

"Wait a minute. Since when can Naruto use Earth Style Techniques? In fact, how is it even possible that he has an elemental technique?" Shikamaru asked. "I mean, doesn't it usually take much more experience and developed chakra for a Genin to perform an elemental technique?"

"To answer both your first & second question, Naruto can use Earth Style Jutsus because of the Rinnegan. It allows the user to use and master all six forms of Chakra Nature Transformation, regardless of their ninja rank or age. With this being said, the Rinnegan user can use basically any jutsu they want, though they learn the type that they have a natural affinity for much faster than the average person." Kakashi said.

"As for your third question, yes, it does take longer for a Genin to perform an elemental technique. In fact, it's almost impossible for them to know anything other than what they are taught at the Ninja Academy. However, you must understand that Genin is only a rank, and is not always an accurate representation of a ninja's skill level. For example: Sasuke is a Genin, yet he was able to use the Fireball Jutsu at the age of 7."

Everyone nodded and returned their gaze to the battle below.

"Now, I believe it's my turn." Naruto said as he began to go through a set of hand seals.

"You won't get the chance!" Kiba bellowed as he and Akamaru charged forward.

"Too late! Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu"

As Kiba and Akamaru raced toward Naruto, they became aware of a thick fog that quickly began to cover the arena floor. Within seconds, the entire arena floor was covered in the sudden thick fog, completely hiding Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru from view.

"What the hell? Akamaru, are you still there?" Kiba asked, instantly worried when he couldn't see Akamaru anymore. The fog was so thick, he couldn't even see his own hand in front of him. By now, he was starting to experience what Naruto was feeling when he was trapped in the smoke bombs.

Akamaru let out a reassuring bark, signaling that he was still there beside Kiba.

"Alright Naruto, if you think hiding in this fog is going to hinder me and Akamaru, you're dead wrong." Kiba hollered into the mist. "We can easily find you by smell."

It was true, but focusing his chakra to his nose, Kiba's sense of smell becomes over 3x as sensitive a normal human's. In fact, Kiba's sense of smell was just as good as any Ninja Hound's. Even Pakkun's sense of smell was inferior to Kiba's.

"Oh really, then why don't you try and find me then." Naruto taunted.

Kiba smirked as he and Akamaru began to sniff the air. Suddenly, Kiba's smirk disappeared and it was instead replaced with a look of shock. Naruto's smell was all around him, making it impossible to pinpoint his exact location. For the first time in his life, Kiba was blind, both in sight and smell.

"Hey, Sasuke, can you see anything with your Sharingan?" Sakura asked.

At first, Sasuke didn't answer. He was feeling a little reluctant to use his Sharingan for fear of his Curse Mark acting up. On the other hand, there was only one way to see if Kakashi's seal had actually worked.

"Hold on a second." Sasuke replied as he activated his Sharingan and peered into the fog.

However, through the Sharingan's vision, the entire arena was still covered in a blue mist even thicker than the fog itself.

"I can't see anything. That fog is made completely out of Naruto's chakra." Sasuke said before deactivating his kekkei genkai.

"Damn." Sakura replied. "Kiba is probably getting his ass kicked right now, and we're missing it."

Meanwhile, Naruto was having a field day. Since this fog was made completely out of his chakra, he was hidden from Kiba and Akamaru's sense of smell. This gave him more than enough time to calculate what he would do. After going through a number of different possible solutions, he decided that Akamaru would be his target. That way, he could finally fight Kiba one-on-one. Since his Earth Spear Jutsu was still activated, he had all the force he needed to knock Akamaru out once and for all. The question was: Which one was Akamaru?

Only one way to find out.

Since the fog also disabled his own vision, Naruto was forced to sense where his two adversaries were with his chakra. After pinpointing their chakra signatures, Naruto charged forward with a burst of speed and rounded in on e of his targets. He didn't whether it was Kiba or Akamaru, but honestly, either one would do. A moment later, Naruto jumped forward and landed a roundhouse kick right between the eyes of one of his targets. Whoever Naruto had hit yelped out in alarm as they were sent skidding across the arena floor from the force of the blow.

Now that one of them had been taken care of, it was time to see who it was.

"Hidden Mist Jutsu: Release" Naruto said, making the "Ram" hand seal again.

Suddenly, the thick fog began to dissipate, revealing more and more of the arena floor. Finally, after a few seconds, the fog had fully dissipated until no traces of it remained, allowing everyone to finally see what happened after they'd heard a blow connect. Once the arena had finally become visible, everyone noticed Naruto standing over one of the two Kiba's and instantly realized what had happened.

A second later, there was a puff of smoke, and Akamaru was now lying unconscious on the arena floor, having reverted back to his dogself.

"No! Akamaru! What the hell did you do?" Kiba demanded angrily.

"Simple: I knocked him out cold. I'm afraid he won't be getting up for the rest of this fight." Naruto said as his skin returned to its normal color.

"But...how did you know which one was Akamaru?" Kiba asked.

"Actually, I didn't. I just chose one of you at random and struck." Naruto explained with a cocky tone. "Now, it's just you and me Kiba, one-on-one."

'_Way to to go Naru-chan.' _Sasuke silently said to himself. '_You managed to even the odds.'_

'_This can't be the same goofball that Iruka raised all those years ago.' _Kurenai said to herself as she gaped at Naruto in amazement. '_He really has grown since then.'_

"Damn it! You little punk!" Kiba hollered in rage. "I don't believe this!"

"Heh, a smart shinobi is careful about how he uses his jutsu. Otherwise, its liable to comeback and bite him on the butt, _dummy._" Naruto said while making a thumbs down.

As Naruto spoke, Kiba could feel himself getting madder and madder. Here he was, one of the best in his class, being outsmarted by his class's dead last, the person with the worst grades. Further adding to his embarrassment was the fact that everyone, including Hinata, was watching Naruto make a fool out of him!

'_There's just no arguing with this class clown. __He's trying to get in my head, but I'm not about to play his game. I just have to keep calm._' Kiba thought. '_Okay, I'm still faster than he is, so I still have an advantage. All I have to do look for an opening, slip in behind him, and take him down with my All-Fours Jutsu. Yeah, that's it. I'm still in this, even without Akamaru. There's no way I'm going to lose to a failure like him!'_

"Oh? You're finally deciding to get serious eh Kiba?" Naruto taunted. "Well good. Because I have a special that I've been saving. My secret killer move taught to me by none other than Pervy Sage himself!"

Unfortunately, Kiba wasn't buying it.

"Super secret killer move?" Kiba said in a sarcastic tone. "Ha! Get out of here! Both you and I can see that its a bluff!"

"Well why don't you try me and find out!" Naruto shot back with his crossed over his chest.

'_Alright Kiba, don't let this punk get to you. I don't know what he has up his sleeve, so I'll just prevent him from using it!'_ Kiba thought to himself as he pulled out a handful of shuriken, 4 in each hand, and rushed forward.

With a grunt, Kiba hurled the projectiles Naruto, who easily deflected them with Shinra Tensei. Fortunately, that was exactly what Kiba wanted him to do, for it left him open for 5 seconds.

'_Fuck! I forgot about the 5 second interval again!' _ Naruto thought to himself as he got ready to move out of the way. _'I need to buy time so I can concentrate my chakra._

"Oh no you don't! Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu!" Kiba hollered.

Instantly, the changes took place. His teeth became fangs, his nails became claws, and he dropped down all fours as he continued to run forward. Before Naruto make a move to get out of the way, Kiba rushed forward and elbowed Naruto in the gut, causing him to slide back a good few feet and knocking the wind out of the blonde. Before Naruto could recover, Kiba appeared from the side and landed a solid punch to Naruto's cheek, knocking him away again.

"C'mon Naruto! Show me that special killer trick you said you had!" Kiba taunted before chuckling.

"Damn, he's coming at me too fast. I don't have enough time to build up my chakra." Naruto said as he picked himself up off the ground.

No sooner had Naruto gotten back to his feet when Kiba charged at him again. In the time it took Naruto to blink, Kiba had already sent him hurling through the air, and before Naruto knew it, he was the ground again.

"I never knew Kiba was this fast." Choji said.

"Yeah, his speed is equal to that of Naruto-kun's." Ino said.

'_C'mon Naruto. This guy is fast, but you're faster. Focus your chakra and fight fire with fire.' _Shikamaru silently urged.

"Alright. If he wants to play a game of "Fast Ball", well two can play at that game." Naruto said as he picked himself up again. "Okay, Rinnegan, show me his movements."

At seeing Naruto get back to his feet, Kiba growled like caged animal and rushed forward again. Fortunately, Naruto was able to focus enough of his chakra to his eyes in time, which now enabled him to see Kiba as though he were running at normal speed.

'_Perfect.' _thought Naruto as he blocked an incoming attack, stunning Kiba and everyone else.

Smirking, Naruto marked Kiba with his jutsu formula before twirling around and kicking Kiba away, sending the Inuzuka sliding across the arena floor. Kiba angrily got up and tried a few more times, but each attempt met with the same result.

_'What? Can he actually see my movements now?' _Kiba thought as he panted heavily.

"Hey, Kakashi sensei? How come Naruto can see Kiba's moves all of a sudden?" Sakura asked.

"Because, to the untrained eye, Kiba is moving at near the speed of light. To the Rinnegan, however, Kiba's moving at normal speed." Kakashi said. "I guess, after getting beaten around, Naruto finally decided to use it."

Kiba grunted as he knocked away yet again. Now he was starting to get frustrated. By now, he was sure that Naruto could actually keep track of his movements, no doubt because of his weird eyes. No matter, he'd just kick it up a notch. Focusing more of his chakra, Kiba charged forward with even more speed than ever before. At this speed, all he had to do was hit Naruto once, and the blonde would go down, just one hit.

Naruto smirked as he saw Kiba running toward him again. He was running a little faster than before, but Naruto could still keep track of him. Obviously, knocking Kiba away wasn't giving him enough time. Luckily, he did have at least one more trick up his sleeve. It wasn't very ninja like, but since Kiba had a sensitive nose, it would have to do. Plus, it was all he could think of.

As Kiba reached him, Naruto promptly turned around...and farted right in Kiba's face. A loud sounding fart sound echoed throughout the arena, causing Naruto to blush slightly. He didn't think it would be that loud. All it took was one whiff to send Kiba falling back, holding his nose in agony as tears began to well up in his eyes. He'd never smelt anything so foul in his life!

'_Kiba's smell is a thousand times more sensitive than average. So I can only imagine how painful that must've been.' _Kurenai thought as everyone gaped in disgust.

'_Leave it to Naruto use some of the most unconventional methods.' _Kakashi thought as he shook his head.

"EEEEW! That is foul!" Kiba hollered as he held his nose, close to crying by now. "Jesus kid! What the hell did you eat?"

"Hahah! Whatever works Naruto! You slowed him down at least!" Sakura cheered from the balcony.

"Well, it's out of my handbook." Naruto said sheepishly. "Anyway, its time unleash my technique!"

With Kiba still reeling from the effect of his fumes, Naruto was finally given enough time to concentrate his Wind Chakra to the palm of his hand. After only a minute, Naruto now held a swirling blue swirling ball of chakra in his palm, none other than the Rasengan.

"Huh? What kind of jutsu is that?" Neji asked.

"That, my youthful pupil, is the Rasengan. An A-Rank Technique invented by the 4th Hokage himself." Gai explained. "Instead of time consuming hand seals, it relies only on the user's chakra control. Once created, it becomes powerful ball of chakra that grinds into whatever it comes into contact with. Also, it's self sustaining, which means it has no definite time limit. That way, you can wait to strike at just the right moment while still holding it."

'_The Rasengan? How did Naruto learn a jutsu of that caliber?' _Asuma thought. This was only his second time seeing the Rasengan since the days of the 4th Hokage.

"Alright Kiba! You kicked me around pretty good, but now it's my turn!" Naruto said as he pulled back the arms which held the Rasengan.

'_Shit! If that thing hits me, I'm done for! I just have to move out of the way at just the right moment.' _Kiba said as nose finally began to stop aching a little.

Sporting a triumphant smirk, Naruto rushed forward with a burst of speed, the Rasengan held out in front of him and ready to grind into its target. As rushed forward, Naruto could see the look of both shock and horror on Kiba's face, causing his own smirk to grow even wider. This time, he had Kiba exactly where he wanted him.

Kiba clenched his fists and braced himself to move out of the way. However, right before Naruto reached him, the blonde vanished into thin air right before his eyes!

"The fuck? What just happened?" Kiba asked as he blinked and stared confusedly.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Naruto reappeared behind Kiba and already charging forward.

"Kiba! Behind you!" Kurenai yelled.

Alarmed and confused, Kiba whipped around. Before he could move, or even gasp for that matter, Naruto plowed into him. Immediately, Kiba felt a burning pain in his abdomen as the Rasengan grinded into his stomach. As the Rasengan shot out of Naruto's hand, Kiba was blown away with it until it finally dissipated after crater him into the wall. Kiba coughed blood as he hit the floor and didn't move.

'_Remarkable, Naruto combined the Flying Thunder God Technique with Rasengan. He must've marked Kiba with the formula jutsu when he first blocked his attack.' _Kakashi thought to himself. '_He must've practiced different Rasengan combinations during his time with Master Jiraiya.'_

As Kiba lay motionless on the floor, Hayate finally walked over to inspect him. After verifying that Kiba was indeed unconscious, he let out a few coughs and raised his hand in the air.

"The winner of this match, by knockout, is Naruto Uzumaki." Hayate announced as he motioned toward Naruto.

No sooner had the words left Hayate's mouth when the entire balcony erupted with cheers.

"Whooooo!" Lee yelled as he pumped his fist in the air.

"Yeah Naruto! That's my teammate!" Sakura cheered. "Way to go!"

"Excellent work, usurutonkachi." Sasuke said.

"Unbelievable!" Shikamaru exclaimed. "Who would've thought that Naruto could actually beat Kiba?"

"It's kind of a major upset though." Choji said.

"Yeah." Ino agreed. "How did he do that vanishing thing though?"

"Hey yeah, what was that move Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, repeating Ino's question.

"It a Space-Time Ninjutsu called the Flying Thunder God Technique." Kakashi explained. "It's a jutsu made famous by the Fourth Hokage and it was the very reason Konoha won the Iwagakure-Konohagakure Ninja War, despite being low on manpower in the frontlines."

At hearing this bit of information, everyone moved a little closer to listen more intently.

"Basically, it allows the user to move himself to another location in the blink of an eye. It's similar to the Body Flicker Technique, but the speed and range are much greater, as it revolves around manipulation of time and space rather than accelerated movement. It's also similar to the Reverse Summoning Technique, but instead of bringing something to users, it sends them somewhere. Additionally, it makes no noise and produces no puff of smoke, allowing the user to appear behind someone unnoticed."

"Okay, but how do you use it?" Sasuke asked.

"To activate the jutsu, the user needs a special seal or "technique formula" to mark the destination."

"Wait, is that what those seal marks are that are on some of Naruto's kunai?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. After the seal is placed, the user enters a dimensional void that almost instantaneously transports himself to the location of the seal. By giving one such kunai to a person, the user can immediately teleport to that person at any time. He can also apply the mark to a touched area, such as his opponent or some other surrounding feature. Furthermore, if an object marked with the seal may touch the ground, the user will immediately know the position of everyone close to the object."

"Needless to say, this technique also possesses surveillance purposes, as the user can continuously sense where anyone is as long as the seal is on them. No matter where an opponent is, he can arrive directly next to them. The technique is also very unique because it requires no use of chakra, due to a special secondary seal that emits the same chakra as the user, allowing him to have an instant connection to the area."

"During the war, after having his subordinates toss marked kunai randomly into the enemy ranks, Minato Namikaze, The Fourth Hokage, used this technique to appear within their ranks, using the great speed of this technique to seemingly appear to be in several places at once and wipe out entire squadrons one by one in moments before they could even react. With this being said, it's no wonder why flee-on-sight orders were given to enemy ninjas in case he ever appeared on the battlefield, as he could wipe out entire platoons in the blink of an eye without receiving a scratch."

"Wow." said Ino. "So how did Naruto learn it?"

"Well, more thank likely, Master Jiraiya taught it to him." Kakashi replied.

Meanwhile, back on the arena floor, both Kiba and Akamaru were being loaded into a stretcher. Both were seriously injured, but with a little medical attention and plenty of rest, they would be just fine.

"It was nothing, a piece of cake!" Naruto cheered as he raced up the steps to rejoin everyone.

"Uh...H-Hey Naruto-kun." Hinata stuttered as Naruto arrived on the balcony. "G-Great job on y-your m-match."

"Oh, thanks Hinata. It was nothin." Naruto said.

"Umm...I..wanted to g-give you t-this."

Hinata timidly held out a small cylindrical brown container. Naruto looked at it blankly before finally accepting it.

"Thanks Hinata, but what is it exactly?"

"It's a healing ointment." Kurenai said. "It's Hinata's way of congratulating you."

"Cool, and thanks again Hinata." Naruto said as he slipped the ointment in his pocket and walked on to rejoin his team.

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Kurenai saw Kiba and Akamaru being carried out of the arena and to the infirmary.

'_You have nothing to be ashamed of Kiba.' _Kurenai thought with a warm smile. '_Who would've thought that Naruto would've been such a strong opponent?'_

As Naruto finally rejoined his team and pulled Sasuke into a tight hug, no one was aware of Neji's hateful gaze toward Hinata. His eyes narrowed dangerously as memories of his childhood and his father flashed through his mind.

'_So, **Hinata, **still not a care in the world.' _Neji thought maliciously as he clenched his fists.

**Okay, this ends this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and please review. Also, if you're gonna add my story to your favorites list or story subscriptions, please drop me a review every now and then. You don't have to everyday, just every now and then or whenever you have time.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: Naruto is NOT mine. The characters in this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 34**

**Just to give you guys a heads up, I'm not gonna write out the next several fights. Mainly because their long as hell and nothing will be different about them. There's no point in writing the battle if their not any different from the anime. So I'll just describe the battles and fill in the blanks. By the way, I'd like to thank all of you who have reviewed and I'm glad you like the story so far. So, a treat, their will be a lemon in this one just for you guys. Thanks again everyone.**

After his successful win against Kiba, and his little chat with Hinata, Naruto eagerly made his way over to his team. In all of his life, he'd never been so happy. He'd won against someone whom he never thought he could beat in a million years and now he could finally spend time with his beloved boyfriend.

"Teme, I won!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he jumped into Sasuke's arms and pulled him into a tight hug. "Can you believe it? I actually beat Kiba, **me**!

"I know Naruto, I saw." Sasuke said as he pulled back and ruffled Naruto's hair. "You were great out there. You had a few close calls, but you did good. I'm proud of you, usurutonkachi."

"Aww it was...hey!" Naruto exclaimed, finally catching that last part. "You know what Sasuke? You can just kiss my-"

"SO, Naruto-kun, you did a really good job out there." Sakura spoke up, cutting Naruto off before he could finish his sentence. "You'll have to show me how to do that Teleportation Jutsu sometime."

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure. I mean, it's not really that hard to learn." Naruto said, forgetting his rage toward Sasuke (thank God for Naruto's short attention span).

"On the contrary Naruto, it wasn't hard for you, thanks to the Rinnegan." Kakashi said as he walked over. "The Flying Thunder God Technique is a S-Rank jutsu. It took the Fourth Hokage nearly half a year to get the hang of, even with his skills. Congratulations on your win by the way. You did an excellent job. Pretty soon, you'll probably be able to beat me in a one-on-one match."

"Oh stop it Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said sheepishly. "You're just saying that."

"No really. I'm serious." Kakashi replied with a cheerful smile, though it was hidden by his mask.

* * *

After few minutes after Kiba's defeat at the hands of Naruto, Hayate cleared his throat and announced that it was time for the next match.

The eighth match brought a family rivalry to the forefront, as Hinata and Neji were paired to battle. Kiba, being escorted away on a stretcher, urged Hinata to forfeit beforehand. Hinata, however, after being inspired by Naruto's courage, still wanted to fight to prove that she could be brave. They both fought in the Hyūga Gentle Fist style, enabling them to cut off each other's chakra flow. They both also had the Byakugan; the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai and a trait which Kakashi said surpasses the Sharingan. With the Byakugan, Neji exploited Hinata's fears with the intention of killing her, and it was only by the exam proctor's intervention that stopped him from doing that. Hinata's bravery still managed to inspire Naruto, as he vowed to battle and win against Neji in the third exam.

* * *

After minutes later, after the cleanup crew had come and cleaned up the blood that Hinata had coughed up during her match, Hayate let out a few coughs before clearing his throat to signal everyone to be silent so that he could announce the next match.

The ninth match had Rock Lee against Gaara. Rock Lee used his remarkable Taijutsu abilities, but barely managed to scratch Gaara because of his Sand Shield. When normal speed wasn't doing the trick, Lee removed the half ton weights that he secretly wore around his ankles underneath his shin guards. Removing the weights allowed Lee to move at near the speed of light and actually get past the Sand Shield. However, Gaara then revealed his entire body was encased in sand, creating a Sand Armor that protected him in case his Sand Shield were to fail.

Left with no other options, Lee then opened five of the Eight Inner Gates, the result being that Lee's strength was multiplied immensely for a short time, but also severely injured him. Gaara was beaten badly. Rock Lee then used his Reverse Lotus technique to attempt to break through Gaara's sand armor, at the expense of great pain and injury to himself. When Gaara was falling, however, he dispersed his gourd into sand as a cushion to break his fall. With Lew's body almost completely torn apart after opening five gates, he was left defenseless when Gaara used the Sand Coffin Technique to crush Rock Lee's left arm and leg. Horrified, Might Guy jumped down to defend Lee just as Gaara was about to finish him off once and for all, regretting having taught Lee how to open the inner gates, after learning from the medical staff that Lee could no longer be a ninja due to his intense injuries. With Lee unconscious and unable to battle, Gaara was declared the winner.

* * *

After Lee was carried off to the back to receive medical attention, Hayate declared that it was time to move on to the 10th, and final, match.

The last match pitted Choji Akimichi against Dosu Kinuta. Of course, Chōji was reluctant to battle, instead wanting to forfeit, but tried after being promised food by Asuma if he won. Chōji entered the battle with prior knowledge of Dosu's abilities, due to his encounter in the Forest of Death, and quickly used the Human Boulder Technique to hide his ears from the Sound ninja's attacks. Dosu managed to overcome this by transmitting his Vibrating Sound Drill through Chōji's flesh, quickly defeating him. Apparently, the human body is 70% water, and since water can transmit soundwaves, it makes the human body one giant ear. Although, for at least trying, Choji would still get his all-you-can-eat BBQ from his favorite restaurant. despite the fact that he lost.

* * *

'_Finally, it's over.' _Hayate thought as he wrote the names of those that would be passing on his clipboard.

After letting out a few more coughs, Hayate cleared his throat to silence everyone so that he could make his final announcements.

"With the end of the last match, these Preliminaries for the third test have been completed." Hayate declared. "To everyone that has advanced to the final round of the Chunin Exams, congratulations to you all. Now, if you'd all please make you down here, Lord Hokage will explain the Final Round."

Without a word, the remaining candidates who would be going on to the final round made their way down to the arena floor. Sakura and Ino, however, stayed up on the balcony with their respective Jonin leaders.

After all of the passing candidates were had made their way to the arena floor, Hiruzen stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Well, I don't wanna beat around the bush so I'll explain the Final Round now." Hiruzen said. "For the Final Round, you will have to..."

* * *

Elsewhere, while Hiruzen explained the details of the Final Round of the Chunin Exams, a certain man was hanging out near the Konoha Hot Springs, waiting for his spy to return. Since finally had some free time on his hands, he decided to take this opportunity to admire the scenery around him. Konoha hadn't changed at all since he'd defected from it years ago, and even now, it's beauty and serenity amazed him. All the more reason to have it destroyed, which would be happening very soon. He just needed to make a few more preparations.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke behind him. Turning around, he smirked at seeing that his spy had finally returned.

"The Preliminary battles have ended without incident, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto said from his bowed position on the ground. "It seems their now entering the final round."

Orochimaru's smirk widened. "This land really has become peaceful, hasn't it? This peaceful time has put this country in slumber...while all the other lands are busy racing to expand their military."

"Would it be possible for us to take it now?" Kabuto asked as he rose to his feet. "

"I suppose." Orochimaru replied, catching sight of a trio of birds standing on the wooden railing. "Though, I don't know how much fun it would be to take out that old man."

"Is that so?" Kabuto said with a sarcastic tone, causing Orochimaru to cast glare his way. "To me, it looks like you still have reservations about it. From now on, the power of each Hidden Village will clash with one another in a long and violent manner. The Sound Village is also one of them...You intend to be the trigger for all that... and use **him **for a bullet. Our Sasuke, right?"

"You guess well." Orochimaru replied, his glare disappearing and instead replaced with a knowing smirk. "So well that it's a bit creepy."

"I wouldn't necessarily say all, didn't know about Dosu, Zaku, or Kin. In gathering information on Sasuke, I desired to learn their skills and carried out tactless things like deliberately subjecting myself to an attack.

"..."

"You overestimate me." Kabuto continued. "It seems that, even though you and I have been together for quite sometime now, you still don't trust me completely."

"Was it necessary to tell you, my right-hand man, about the likes of those three?" Orochimaru questioned. "You see, therein lies the very proof of my trust. And because I trust you so much...I would like to leave Sasuke in your hands. The Curse Mark that was given to him appears to have been sealed by Kakashi. Though, that won't matter much. While there is still much darkness left in his heart, there is still one thing that could keeo him from coming to me."

"Is it Naruto Uzumaki?" Kabuto asked as he pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose.

'_You're quite the sharp one Kabuto.' _"Sasuke has lived for revenge against his older brother Itachi, and he will not rest until he has achieved that aim. However, according to your information, contact with the Rinnegan boy has altered Sasuke's heart and mind. So much so, that the two are apparently lovers, which gives that boy even more influence over Sasuke. The best thing to do is to get Sasuke away from him and quickly turn him my color."

"Should I abduct Sasuke then?" Kabuto asked.

"No. From what you told me, it would appear that Sasuke's jealousy is continuing to spark up and that could be the thing to set him off. If something were to happen to the Rinnegan boy, he would more than likely blame himself for what happened and seek me for greater power. Therefore, we must kill the Rinnegan boy."

"I shall get on it immediately." Kabuto said as he turned to leave.

"No, not yet. It's too soon right now." Orochimaru said. "Even with your skills, you still won't be able to take him down on your own. You will need help with this assignment."

"Might I suggest the Sound Ninja 5 then?" Kabuto offered. "They have been complaining about not having enough to do. Perhaps the assassination of the Rinnegan Master will give them the challenge they seek."

"Perhaps." said Orochimaru. "However, the fifth member, Kimimaro, is not in the best condition at the moment. With the way his disease has progressed, I'm surprised he can walk, let on alone still be alive."

"I'm still working on the vaccine. It won't destroy the disease, but it will disrupt it for a period of time. With his skills, that's more than enough time for him to kill the boy." Kabuto said, turning slightly to face Orochimaru.

"Fine. However, for the time being, I want you to monitor Sasuke whenever you can." Orochimaru said. "Just know that if you fail...I'll kill you."

Kabuto's eyes widened and the breath caught in his throat. From where he stood, Orochimaru could fell the fear come off Kabuto in waves, causing him to chuckle sinisterly.

"Just kidding. Now, run along." Orochimaru said with a fake cheerful face.

Kabuto calmed down and gave Orochimaru a relieved expression before dashing off.

'_That face...I wonder what could possibly be going on in his head?' _Orochimaru thought to himself with a smirk. Sometimes, messing with Kabuto brought him so much joy.

* * *

Meanwhile, the remaining candidates were in the Preliminary Arena, listening intently as the Third Hokage explained the final details for final test of the exams.

"Basically, during the Third Round, you will show off your battle skills in front of everyone. I want you to satisfactorily demonstrate and show off your ability as representative battle forces of your respective lands. Accordingly, the Final Round will commence one month from now This is so that there's a suitable period of preparation." Hiruzen explained.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.

"That is to say...along with the announcement of the conclusion of the Preliminary Match to each country's Daimyo and Shinobi leaders, readying the summons for the Final Round requires preparation time-not to mention the time it takes for you examinees to prepare." Hiruzen answered.

'_This old man always has a roundabout way of saying things.'_ Kankuro thought in frustration. "Sorry, but I don't quite get what you're trying to say."

"In other words, in order to know your adversary, in order to prepare yourself, time is necessary. Time to analyze what you learned about the adversaries in the Preliminaries and time to take stock of your successes. The battles up until now were like actual battles-it presupposed situations in which you can't know your adversary." Hiruzen said.

'_That's for damn sure. Who would've thought that **this **guy could turn something harmless, like sand, into a weapon? _Shikamaru said to himself, referring to Gaara.

"However, this is not the case in the Final Round. Some of you might have already revealed everything in front of your rivals. In the spirit of fairness and equality, you will have a month to train yourself to further your skills." Hiruzen continued.

Everyone nodded as they let what Hiruzen had just said sunk in.

"Now that that's done, I'd like you all to take your leave. But first, for the Final Round, there is one more important matter to take care of." Hiruzen added at the last minute. "I want you all to take a slip of paper from out of the box that Anko here is holding."

All of the remaining candidates then looked over at the purple haired woman who stood to the right of the Third Hokage. In her arms was a yellow box with slips of white paper inside.

"I'm going to go around in order. Please only take one slip." Anko said she started at Dosu.

It didn't take long for Anko to get to everyone, and after everyone had gotten a slip, they were told to open it. Naruto opened his slip of paper, revealing a #1 written inside.

"Now that everyone has a slip, from left to right, tell me the number on your slip of paper." Ibiki commanded.

"I'm eight." said Dosu.

"#1" said Naruto.

"#7" said Temari.

"#5" said Kankuro.

"#3" said Gaara.

"#9" said Shikamaru.

"#2" said Neji.

"I have #6." said Shino.

"#4" said Sasuke.

"Very well. Ibiki, bring forth the pairings." Hiruzen commanded.

Ibiki stepped forward and showed the remaining candidates the chart the he had drawn up as everyone had called out their numbers. The pairings were: Neji Hyuga vs Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru vs Temari, Shikamaru vs Dosu, Kankuro vs Shino, and Sasuke Uchiha vs Gaara.

_'What the fuck? Why do I have to fight in two matches?' _Shikamaru thought angrily. '_These exams are really starting to piss me the fuck off.'_

_'Well, at least I'm not in the same section as Gaara.' _Kankuro thought with relief.

'_Finally, I get my match against Gaara. I was hoping to go against Neji, but the sand freak will do.' _Sasuke thought with a satisfied smirk.

'_Sasuke Uchiha, you're mine.' _Gaara thought as he felt himself become excited again.

'_I'm going against the slacker-clown huh? In that case, this going to be an easy win.' _Temari thought.

'_Oh no. Sasuke has to go against that red-haired kid from the Sand Village.' _Sakura thought with genuine concern.

"Hey, I have a question." Shikamaru said as he raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Does this mean that there will only be one winner of the tournament? That only one of us will be able to become a Chunin?" Shikamaru asked.

"No, on the contrary." Hiruzen answered. "The judges of the final round, of which I am one, will be made up of the Kazekage, the Daimyo of various countries who will assign you your missions, and the Shinobi leaders. Through these tournaments, these judges will be able to make a thorough evaluation, and come to a decision as to whether each one of you possesses the qualities incumbent of a Chunin. Even if someone loses the first round, they can still become a Chunin."

"So there's a chance we can all become Chunin then?" Temari asked.

"Correct, but conversely, there's also a chance that none of you will. To "advance" in the tournament means maximizing chances to appeal yourselves to the judges. Understood, Shikamaru?" Hiruzen asked.

'_This all a real pain in my ass.' _Shikamaru thought, though he nodded anyway.

"Thank you all for your patience. We will adjourn until next month." Hiruzen announced.

Everyone nodded and began to head for the double doors. They all remembered where the exit was so they didn't need any help.

'_So in the final round, it's either Sasuke or Gaara huh? That guy is so strong, he even kicked Bushy Brow's butt. Not only that, I've gotta fight that Neji Hyuga guy. After what he did to Hinata, I'm gonna have to do some serious training with Kakashi-sensei if I'm gonna win.' _Naruto thought as he followed everyone out the double doors and down a flight of stairs.

* * *

15 minutes later, both Naruto and Sasuke were sitting in the park, their heads abuzz with thoughts about their upcoming matches. The quietness helped the two to concentrate better and think about what they were going to do.

"We only have a month before the Final Round, but I have no idea what I'm gonna do. To make matters worse, I'm gonna have to fight against that kid from the Hyuga Clan, and you saw how strong he was. He beat Hinata without breaking a sweat." Naruto said in a stressed out tone. "I'm gonna need to learn some new jutsus, or at least work on my Taijutsu a little more if I'm gonna stand a chance."

"Clam down, usuratonkachi." Sasuke replied calmly. "You're thinking about this way too much."

"Well what the hell do you expect?" Naruto argued back. "All of these important people are gonna be watching our fights, and on top of that, I have to fight one of the strongest Genin in Konoha who can probably beat me with one tap out of his Gentle Fist Technique, or whatever the hell it's called. I mean, after seeing what the Gentle Fist thing can do, I could end up being taken down before I even get started. I still wanna make the bastard pay for what he did to Hinata, but this one is gonna take a little work."

Sasuke frowned as he looked over at Naruto. For as long as Sasuke had known the energetic blonde, he'd never seen him look so stressed out before. Naruto knew what he was up against, and he was excited to fight such a powerful opponent, but reality was still rearing its ugly head snf Naruto was feeling the effects. Suddenly, an idea flashed into Sasuke's head.

"Listen, if it'll make you feel better, how about we go and get some ramen from Ichiraku." Sasuke offered.

At hearing this Naruto immediately perked up and his eyes began to sparkle.

"Seriously? As in, you're paying?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Sasuke let out a sigh and nodded. It was still sunny out and they had a lot of free time left. So the way Sasuke figured it, he'd get to spend time with Naruto plus relieve a little of his own stress. "If it'll help you to stop stressing, then yes."

"Kick **ass**! I love you so much right now teme!" Naruto cheered happily as he shot to his feet. Without warning, Naruto grabbed Sasuke by his wrist and took off. Overcome with excitement about getting to eat his most prized delicacy, Naruto didn't realize how fast he was actually running, as Sasuke's feet weren't even on the ground!

Only 10 minutes after reaching Ichiraku's, Naruto was already eating his fifth bowl of ramen while Sasuke was only on his second. Strangely, neither the ramen bar's owner Teuchi, or his daughter, Ayame, seemed surprised. After knowing Naruto for a number of years, they were used to Naruto's eating habits by now. Sasuke, on the other hand, was staring at his blonde haired lover with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

'_I just don't get it. Where does Naruto put it all?' _Sasuke thought before finally finishing off the contents of his own bowl.

Naruto smiled happily as he slurped up the rest of his ramen, and was about to ask for a sixth bowl, when Sakura decided to walk in.

"I figured I'd find you two here." Sakura said with a cheerful smile.

"Oh, Sakura-chan. What brings you here?" Naruto asked.

"Kakashi-sensei sent me to get you guys." Sakura informed. "He says that you guys need to start immediately, considering who your opponents will be."

"Awwww, do we have to?" Naruto whined.

"I'm afraid so, Naruto-kun."

Muttering under his breath, Naruto left with Sakura while Sasuke stayed behind and paid for their meal. Moments later, Squad 7 arrived at the training field where Kakashi was waiting for them.

"Glad you two shared up." Kakashi as he closed his orange Make Out Paradise book and tucked it safely away in one of the pockets of his flak jacket. "Congratulations on making it to the final round. I'm very proud of you, you too Sakura."

Sakura smiled cheerfully.

"Kakashi-sensei, can't this wait until tomorrow? I mean, we just got done with the Preliminaries not too long ago." Naruto whined.

"I'm afraid this cannot wait Naruto. Your opponent is highly skilled and you need all the training you can get if you hope to become Chunin. The same goes for you Sasuke." Kakashi replied firmly.

"Man, this super sucks!" Naruto pouted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Actually, Naruto, I found someone who may be able to motivate you." Kakashi said calmly.

Before Naruto could ask who, a puff of smoke suddenly erupted beside Kakashi. Seconds later, the smoke cleared to reveal none other than Jiraiya, who had his arms crossed and was giving his Godson a warm smile.

"Pervy Sage!" Naruto exclaimed happily before running forward and enveloping his Godfather in a tight hug.

"Hey there Naruto." Jiraiya said as he returned the hug. "Kakashi told me about you making it to the final round. Excellent job."

Naruto stepped back and blushed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, it was no problem." Naruto said. "I blew all of those other guys out of the water."

In the background, both Sasuke and Sakura shook their heads. Naruto never missed an opportunity to exaggerate himself.

"So Pervy Sage, how about we go to the Hot Springs for some R&R?" Naruto suggested.

"Sorry Naruto, but if you're gonna stand a chance against Neji, you're going to need more training." Jiraiya replied, earning him a frown.

"But I'm too tired to train right now. Plus, it's an awesome day. I don't wanna spend all of my time training." Naruto whined again with his arms crossed.

"Well okay. I was gonna teach you some really awesome Taijutsu techniques, but since your too tired, maybe Sasuke would like to learn them instead." Jiraiya countered. "So Sasuke, how about it?"

"Actually-"

"No fucking way! Sasuke's Taijutsu is good enough as it is! So if anyone is gonna learn some new Taijutsu Techniques, it's gonna be me!" Naruto angrily objected before grabbing Jiraiya by his sleeve. "C'mon Pervy Sage, let's get started already."

As Jiraiya allowed Naruto to pull him to another part of the training field, Kakashi chuckled softly as he watched them leave.

'_Master Jiraiya really is the perfect teacher for Naruto.' _Kakashi thought to himself. "Alright, Sasuke, let's get started. I'm going to show you some new Lightning Style and Fire Style Techniques that you and I will work on throughout the entire one month break."

Sasuke nodded and activated his Sharingan.

* * *

Both Naruto and Sasuke continued to train with their respective masters until the sun had nearly set below the horizon. Fortunately, not a single second had been wasted.

True to his word, Jiraiya taught Naruto a number of advanced Taijutsu skills and worked with Naruto to help him get the hang of them. Naruto made record progress and easily learned each technique that Jiraiya showed him. He would still need a little mre practice, but for the most part, his overall Taijutsu abilities had improved significantly. As a reward, Jiraiya taught Naruto a few more Earth and Wind Style Techniques.

While Naruto trained with Jiraiya, Sasuke was making his own progress during his training with Kakashi. In order to help Sasuke get around Gaara's sand, Kakashi taught Sasuke the Light Style Armor Jutsu. Basically, Sasuke surrounds himself in a layer of Lightning Chakra, electrically stimulating his nervous system and speeding up his neural synapses to react faster to danger and push his physical prowess to the absolute limit, allowing him to gain tremendous raw speed and monstrous power.

While using this technique, Sasuke's reflexes become comparable to that Konoha's Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, making it difficult, if not impossible for even the Sharingan to keep up with him. By combining this armor with the Body Flicker Technique, allowing him to dodge an opponents attack in a split second. With this jutsu, Sasuke was now on par with Naruto's speed.

After having both Jiraiya and Kakashi treat them to some sweet dumplings as a reward for their training, Naruto walked Sakura home before walking with Sasuke back to their apartment, though it was nighttime by the time they got there. Upon unlocking and stepping through the door, Naruto flipped the lights on and took a deep breath.

"Ahhh, it seems like its been ages since we've been home." Naruto said after exhaling and taking off his shinobi sandals as well as his forehead protector.

"Tell me about it." Sasuke replied after closing the door behind him and kicking off his sandals also. He then followed Naruto's example and placed his forehead protector on the kitchen table.

After making some popcorn and plopping down on the couch, Naruto flicked on his plasma screen television just in time for him and Sasuke to catch the beginning of the original Friday the 13th. Of course, Naruto complained throughout the entire movie, which annoyed the hell out of Sasuke since he'd never seen the movie before. Needless to say, the experience was ruined.

"As many times as I've seen this thing, I still can't believe his mom was killing all those people." Naruto said as he shook his head. "That bitch is completely nuts!"

"Well what do you expect dobe?" Sasuke asked. "The counselors were having sex instead of watching the kids. If they hadn't of been literally fucking around, maybe Jason wouldn't have drowned. So of course she's gonna be pissed off about it."

"Whatever." Naruto said in exasperation. "Who asked you anyway? Know-it-all."

After the movie was finally over, Naruto went into the kitchen to wash out their now empty popcorn bowl. Yawning, Sasuke decided that it was time to call it a day and made his way to the bedroom and changed into a shirt and boxers. As he was about to climb into bed, a set of pictures on Naruto's nightstand caught his eye.

One was Squad 7's first official picture together, the one where Sakura was smiling happily while Kakashi stood behind her, ruffling both Naruto's and Sasuke's hair. Sasuke himself was looking off to the side, wanting to be somewhere else at that moment while Naruto was giving the "evil eye". Looking at the picture brought back fond memories, causing Sasuke to smirk before moving on the next picture.

The next one was what piqued his interest a little. In the picture was a man and a woman. The man looked to be in his twenties and blonde hair and blue eyes, giving a shocking resemblance to Naruto. In fact, he looked like a much older version of Naruto, which kind of freaked out a little. Beside him was a beautiful woman with a slender, yet feminine build. She had long red hair that reached all the way down to her calf muscles with strands that framed both sides of her face that parted to the left of her head with a hair clip. Lastly, she had fair skin and the most beautiful violet eyes Sasuke had ever seen. However, what drew in Sasuke's attention was her belly.

She was pregnant, and fully at that.

Mildly interested, Sasuke moved on to the next one. It was a picture of Naruto and Iruka. In this one, Naruto looked to be around six years old and the background appeared to be Iruka's kitchen. Behind him, Iruka himself was smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head while he ruffled Naruto's hair. However, despite how interesting the other pictures were, it was ultimately the last one that really caught Sasuke's attention.

The person in the background couldn't be identified as it was only a silhouette. However, Sasuke was still able to infer a number of features. The figure was a man with long, spiky hair flowing backwards. He wore what appeared to be a cloak with a high open collar, showing showing his necklace with six red magatama. Strangely enough, he seemed to have horns on his forehead; though this could be a forehead protector similar to the one worn by Jiraiya. Despite the appearance of what appeared to be horns on the figure's head, what really drew Sasuke in were his eyes, for they were not normal eyes.

They were Rinnegan eyes.

"Sasuke? What're you doing?" Naruto asked, startling Sasuke for a split second.

"Nothing. I was just looking at some of these pictures." Sasuke said. "I recognize the picture of our team and you and Iruka, but who are the people in the other two?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Well, the two people in the second picture are my parents. Although, my mother was still pregnant with me at the time." Naruto explained with a slight blush. Talking about his parents was always difficult.

"Hn. I can see where you got your looks from." Sasuke commented, causing Naruto to blush a little more. "But what about the guy in the last picture?"

Naruto walked over and studied the picture himself, as though he too were mesmerized by the figure's eyes.

"That's the Rikudo Sennin, otherwise known as the Sage of the Six Paths." Naruto answered. "From Pervy Sage told me, he's the legendary figure who founded the Ninja World and was the creator and first user of modern Ninjutsu, essentially making him the first shinobi. Apparently, he was also the first jinchuriki and the one I inherited the Rinnegan from."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he let Naruto's information sink in.

'_Jinchuriki? Creator of the Ninja World? What's this guy's relation to Naruto?' _Sasuke thought to himself.

He was thinking about questioning Naruto further, but in the end, Sasuke decided that it could wait until morning. Right now, all he wanted to do was lay down and relax for the rest of the night. Giving Naruto a nod to show that he understood, Sasuke allowed Naruto crawl into bed before laying down under the covers himself and turning out the lamp on the nightstand. Sasuke sighed deeply as he sunk into the mattress. The only thing that could compare to this would be a cloud.

Oddly, after 15 minutes of laying there, Sasuke still didn't feel like actually sleeping just yet. Sasuke sighed as he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. Thoughts about his upcoming match against Gaara flashed through his mind. He'd finally been able to9 see what Gaara could do and now he was finally gonna get the chance to face him. That day couldn't come soon enough. Sasuke was brought of his thoughts when Naruto rolled over and laid his head on Sasuke's chest.

"You can't sleep either?" Naruto asked.

"No. I'm still excited about my fight with that kid from Sunagakure." Sasuke admitted.

"Well, I do know one way we could fall asleep." Naruto said in a seductive tone as he traced Sasuke chest underneath his shirt.

Sasuke's eyes widened for a split second at what Naruto was suggesting. They still had training tomorrow and they would need all the rest they could get. On the other hand, it had been a while since they had last gotten intimate and neither of them could sleep anyway. Oh, what the hell. The exhaustion would help them sleep later.

Reaching down behind Naruto's hair, Sasuke began to tug firmly on the rubber band holding Naruto's long ponytail together in attempt to let his lover's hair loose.

"Ow...ow! Here, let me do it." Naruto said. Reaching behind his head, he easily untied the rubberband and flung it onto the floor, allowing his golden hair to cascade freely down to his lower back.

With a grunt, Naruto moved so that he straddled Sasuke's waist. Then, softly, he began to grind his hips against Sasuke's before moving forward and catching the Uchiha in a passionate kiss.

**Lemon starts here.**

The breath caught in Sasuke's throat as Naruto's lips met his. At that moment, Sasuke lost all reason, and instinctively, he placed his hand on Naruto's back where it slowly continued to go south until he gripped Naruto's ass. His other found itself on Naruto's hip, allowing Sasuke to pull the blonde closer to him and deepen the kiss.

As the two made out heatedly, Naruto's tongue wormed it's way out and gently licked across Sasuke's bottom lip. He was happily granted access, and seconds later, his tongue was mapping out every inch of Sasuke's mouth. As a result, the grip on his ass tightened a little more.

Finally, the need for air become too great and the two were forced to separate. As they caught their breath, Naruto began to grind his hardening organ firmly against Sasuke's, who in return, began to thrust back. In response, Naruto began to purr loudly, which succeeded in arousing Sasuke even more. It was amazing how much Naruto sounded like a cat.

Now driven by an intense urge to please his kitsune, Sasuke bolted upright and recaptured Naruto's lips. Naruto's momentary surprise allowed Sasuke to reverse their positions so that he was now dominant and ontop. Instinctively, Naruto placed his legs against Sasuke's hips and eagerly returned the kiss, both his tongue and Sasuke's battling for dominance.

His mind in a lust-filled frenzy, Naruto tried to reverse their position so that he could be on top again. Unfortunately, neither Sasuke nor Naruto realized that were right on the edge of the bed, and the both of them ended up toppling to the hard wood floor. Not surprisingly, neither really seemed to care, for they continued to make out heatedly until the need for air broke them apart.

Breathlessly, Sasuke panted as he looked up at Naruto, who was now straddling his waist again. As he looked into Naruto's deep sapphire eyes, a sensual shudder traveled down his spine and too his neither region, causing his already hard erection to twitch. At feeling the large dick under him move, Naruto smirked and sensually licked his lips before beginning to make his way downwards.

"Naruto, you don't have to." Sasuke said with difficulty as he realized what Naruto was about to do.

"I know, but I want to." Naruto said before continuing to move downwards until he was face to face with the large, twitching bulge in Sasuke's underwear.

Sasuke slid up so that his back was propped up against the bed in a slumped position as he allowed Naruto to remove his boxers, finally freeing his large aching hardness. Moving in between Sasuke's now bent legs, Naruto licked the tip of Sasuke's penis a few times before engulfing the entire head within his mouth and sucking firmly. Holding Sasuke's hips down with both hands, Naruto began to bob his head, each time taking Sasuke's flesh deeper until it poked the back of his throat.

Sasuke let out grunts and erotic moans as he spread his legs wider to give Naruto more room. He then grunted sharply when Naruto gripped his engorged flesh and increased his suction, making low sucking noises again.

Now resting his side, Naruto continued to suck Sasuke for nearly a full 30 minutes, succeeding in bringing Sasuke to his climax a number of times before finally letting go. Not surprisingly to Naruto, Sasuke was still very much hard.

After removing his own boxers, Naruto moved upwards and pressed himself against Sasuke, allowing their bare erections to touch as the two began to kiss passionately again. Moaning into the kiss, Naruto began grind their erection together, increasing his speed with each passing. Wanting more, Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's bare ass again, squeezing softly and silently urging the blond on. Before either of them knew it, they had removed each other's shirts and were now both completely naked as they made out on Naruto's floor, Sasuke on top this time.

As propped himself above his blonde-haired kitsune, Naruto took the opportunity to explore Sasuke's body, feeling the taunt muscles ripple underneath the creamy skin. With each touch, Sasuke would relax more and more and his dick would become even harder. Any harder, and Sasuke feared that it may snap off. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer. He needed to be within Naruto.

With a grunt, he moved in between Naruto's legs and positioned himself at Naruto's entrance. Startled at first, Naruto jumped slightly, but then relaxed and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck before spreading his legs wider so that Sasuke could have more room. A second later, Naruto whimpered as he felt the head of Sasuke's dick penetrate his opening. Despite already being lubricated in a sense, Sasuke's size still stretched Naruto almost past what he could handle.

Having finally pushed himself as deep within Naruto as he could go, Sasuke gave the blonde a minute to adjust to the large, but welcome intrusion before he began to thrust forcefully. With each powerful thrust, Naruto's body was jerked forwards and his prostate was struck directly, causing him to moan and purr louder. This simply urged Sasuke on even more, who then moved forward onto his knees, allowing him to thrust into Naruto at a harder and faster pace.

'_Gah. Sasuke...he's so big.' _Naruto thought before he let out a feminine sounding moan when Sasuke rubbed against his prostate repeatedly again.

Naruto's entire room echoed with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, purring, and deep sensual grunts. All the while, Naruto kept his arms locked around Sasuke's neck, holding on for dear life as Sasuke began to thrust as fast as he could. Between the two, Naruto's cock was twitching madly, begging for release until finally...

"SASUKE!" Naruto hollered as he finally came, spraying cum all over both his and Sasuke's chests and stomachs.

With Naruto's walls clamping around him and a few more hard thrusts, Sasuke finally exploded within Naruto, shooting his warm seed deep within the blonde haired kitsune vessel. After a few thrusts for good measure, Sasuke finally collapsed ontop of Naruto, both panting heavily.

"Sasuke..." Naruto said breathlessly.

"Yeah?"

"...I love you." Naruto said sincerely and not just in the heat of the moment.

Sasuke tensed at hearing those words. Instantly, a warm feeling spread throughout his body, and Sasuke once again felt at peace.

"...I love you to, Naruto." Sasuke replied back just as breathlessly before giving Naruto a kiss on the forehead and taking a moment to regain his strength.

Finally, after 10 minutes...

"Hey teme, we should probably clean ourselves up now." Naruto said finally, pointing out that their chests and stomachs were still coated with Naruto's essence.

"Hn. In a moment, I don't feel like moving right now." Sasuke replied.

**Lemon ends here.**

**

* * *

**

After about 15 minutes of laying there on the floor and catching their breaths, Naruto and Sasuke finally got up off the floor and into the shower to wash off the evidence of their physical intimacy, though that came _after _another round of sex in the shower. Moments later, Sasuke, clad in a fresh new T-shirt and a new pair of underwear, crawled into bed and let a sigh of relief as he was enveloped in immediate warmth.

No sooner had Sasuke climbed into bed when Naruto crawled under the sheets as well, immediately snuggling into Sasuke's warm, inviting chest and purring in content. Turning off the lamp, Sasuke pulled Naruto closer toward him until he was safe and snug in his arms. Within only a few seconds, Naruto was breathing deeply and purring in his sleep.

'_Good night_, _Naruto_.' Sasuke thought before allowing himself to be lulled to sleep by the steady hum and vibration of Naruto's purring.

**Alright, we'll end this chapter right here. I'll explain more about the Rikudo Sennin and a little more about Naruto's past. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review to let me know what you think. Also, the next chapter won't be up for a little while because I'm heading off to the beach tomorrow and I won't be back until Tuesday. **


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the the characters in this story.**

**Hey, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that reviewed. I'm glad everyone has enjoyed the story so far. Also, to give you a heads up, the next few chapters will introduce some other pairings so I hope you guys enjoy that as it goes on. Plus, it will be from their points of view. So let me know what you guys think. Also, Naruto and Sasuke will still pop-up in the story from time to time to offer helpful advice to the other characters, as well as Iruka and Kakashi.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 35**

BRIIINNNG! BRIIINNNGG! BRIIINNNGGG!

Sasuke groaned as he reached over and slammed his hand on the snooze button. He didn't feel like getting up at the moment and considered sleeping for another hour or so. However, as if on cue, a ray of sunlight shone in through Naruto's slightly parted curtain, landing directly on Sasuke's face and forcing the Uchiha to wake up.

Upon sitting up in bed Sasuke looked over and saw Naruto still asleep behind him, and glowing with the way the sunlight shone on him. Giving a small smile, Sasuke reached over and gently ran his hand through Naruto's golden hair before getting out of bed.

Going over to the closet, Sasuke pulled out a new pair of clothes, a black T-shirt and a pair of black pants with a weapons pouch attached to them, before making his way to the bathroom. After taking a quick shower, brushing his hair ad teeth, and donning his clean clothes, Sasuke went into the living room and began to do his morning exercise routine. After all, an Uchiha had to remain healthy.

Halfway through his morning workout, Sasuke heard the shower running, and a few minutes later, Naruto emerged into the living room, his long, shaggy blonde hair still a little damp and cascading down his back.

"Morning asshole." Naruto said while scratching the back of his head.

"Hn." Sasuke replied before walking into the kitchen for something to eat, having just completed his morning exercises.

Opening the cupboards, Sasuke pulled down a couple of cups of ramen, one for him and one for Naruto. A couple of minutes later, both Naruto and Sasuke were having their breakfast, though Naruto was already on his third cup. Where he put it all, Sasuke still couldn't find out. As Naruto slurped up the last of his third cup of ramen, Sasuke decided that now was the time to ask those questions he had wanted to ask last night.

"Hey, dobe, can I ask you something?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto looked up and gave him an interested look.

"Uh...sure." Naruto replied.

"Remember that guy you were telling me about, the Rikudo Sennin?"

Naruto nodded.

"Well, you said something about him being the first jinchuriki. Well what exactly is a jinchuriki?" Sasuke asked.

"It's someone who has a tailed beast sealed within them." was Naruto's simple answer.

"Tailed beast?" said Sasuke questioningly.

"Yeah, like the Nine Tailed Fox for example. You see, besides the Kyuubi, there are at least 8 other tailed beast out there. The Kyuubi makes 9. Their basically these huge living monstrosities of chakra. Their all differentiated by the number of tails they have, with each possessing a number from one to nine. In other words, there's a One Tail, Two Tails, and so on until you get to the Kyuubi, the Nine Tailed Fox." Naruto explained.

"So there are others out there?" Sasuke asked.

"Yep. Although, I don't really know of any other jinchuriki." Naruto added. "The only one I'm familiar with is the Rikudo Sennin."

"Okay, well which Tailed Beast did he have?" Sasuke asked as he took a sip of his orange juice.

"All of them." Naruto replied casually before taking a sip of his own drink.

At hearing this, Sasuke spit out his orange juice and his eyes grew huge.

"All of them?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"It's kind of hard to believe, but centuries ago, all of the Tailed Beasts were fused into one demon called the Ten-Tailed Beast, or Jubi. It's been said that the Jubi's chakra was so massive and overwhelmingly foul, that it was potent enough to bring total despair and destruction to the entire world. Somehow, the Rikudo Sennin managed to subdue the beast and seal it within his own body, thus becoming the first jinchuriki and the **Savior of the World**." Naruto explained.

As Sasuke listened to Naruto's story, he began to have trouble believing it. How could one man seal that kind of thing within himself, and at the same time, control it?

"Okay, so what did this "Ten-Tailed Beast" look like? And how did the other Tailed Beasts come along if they were once fused together?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, to answer your first question, nobody really knows what the Jubi looked like. All I know is that that it's body was similar to the Kyuubi's and it had one eye, but it was an unique eye. It kind of looked like a cross between the Rinnegan and the Sharingan. Anyway, I've asked the Nine Tailed Fox himself about what the Jubi looked like exactly, but he said he didn't have any memories of the Ten-Tails. He remembers being fused together, but he has no real recollection of his actions as the Ten-Tailed Beast." Naruto explained.

"As for your second question, The Rikudo Sennin separated the Ten-Tails chakra into nine monstrous entities, which today are known as the Nine Tailed Beasts, and scattered them throughout the world."

"Why did he do that?" Sasuke asked. "I mean, if he had all of that power combined into one beast, why would he separate it?"

"Because he was about to die. You see, sealing the Jubi within him was only a temporary solution. Once the Rikudo Sennin died, the seal that kept the Jubi within him would dissolve and the Jubi would be released again. The Rikudo Sennin knew this and divided up the Jubi's chakra, leaving the Jubi itself powerless."

Sasuke nodded slowly in understanding.

"Hmm, not that I don't believe you or anything Naruto, but do you have any proof?" Sasuke asked.

"Actually yes. Proof of the of the Ten-Tails is...the moon." Naruto replied.

"The moon?"

"Yes. It's where the Jubi's physical remains are said to be. When the Rikudo Sennin was on his deathbed, the seal dissolved and the Jubi was set free, just as he'd feared. The Rikudo Sennin then entombed the physical remains of the Ten-Tails within a colossal stone prison and hurled it into the heavens, thus creating the moon." Naruto went on to explain. "He used a Rinnegan Jutsu called Chibaku Tensei. I tried to do it during my training with Pervy Sage, but I could only do it with the Kyuubi's chakra. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to maintain something like that! Even with the Kyuubi's chakra, it still fell apart!"

At hearing this bit of information, Sasuke frowned.

"Listen, Naruto, all of this sounds...impossible. I mean, think about it: how could one man be powerful enough to create something like the moon? It's just...too impossible to believe that this one man could have been that powerful."

Surprisingly, Naruto nodded in understanding with a slightly defeated look.

"I know. That's the reason nobody really believes that the Rikudo Sennin existed. Even though he supposedly created the Ninja World and all of the jutsu known today, his deeds are too great to actually believe. Even the crater that was made from when he created the moon is no longer existent. Secondly, nobody even really knew what he looked like, for all anyone ever saw of him was his silhouette. So, it's no wonder why the descendants of the people who followed him began to question whether or not he actually existed. Eventually, both the Rikudo Sennin and the Rinnegan became a myth, and even today, people doubt that either ever existed. Not even Kakashi-sensei believes in him, and he thinks the Rinnegan is simply a mutation rather than an actual kekkei genkai and Pervy Sage thought it was only a legend."

"It's kind of ironic. He created an entire new way of life, and yet, nobody believes in him. He basically gets no credit at all. It sucks."

Naruto sighed before draining the last of his orange juice and putting both his and Sasuke's glasses in the sink. After Naruto had sat back down after throwing their ramen cups away, Sasuke decided that there was one more question that he had to ask.

"Naruto, before we have to head off to meet Kakashi, there's one other thing I want to ask you." Sasuke said.

"Alright." Naruto replied.

"What's your relation to the Rikudo Sennin?"

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Well, from what Pervy Sage told me, he's a distant relative on my father's side of the family. You see, the Rinnegan is passed down through the Namikaze Clan, though the Rikudo Sennin was the first to activate it." Naruto revealed.

"So then, the Rikudo Sennin was a Namikaze?" Sasuke asked.

"Yep. The Rinnegan gene is carried by both the males and females of the clan. When my father met my mother and had me, I got it from him. For some reason, I'm the only other person besides the Rikudo Sennin who could awaken it. I don't know why, but I have no complaints though." Naruto added.

Now it made sense. For years, he had known of the Great Ninja Clans whom possessed one of the Three Great Ocular Jutsu. He'd known of the Uchiha and Hyuga, but the third clan had always been a mystery to him. Now, he finally knew the identity of that clan.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" Naruto asked.

"Hmm, yeah one more thing." Sasuke said after a moment. "How did you first meet Iruka? I saw that picture of you and him when you were a little kid."

"Well, as crazy as it may sound, Iruka sort of adopted me. Since Pervy Sage was off on an "important" duty for the village, he couldn't be around to take care of me. Plus, none of the orphanages wanted me since I was the vessel of the Nine Tailed Fox. Basically, I was an infant with no place to go. So, Iruka adopted me and raised me like his own son, without even being asked. He was the only father figure I knew. Whenever I'd get into trouble in village, Iruka would always take the blame. Even though people talked about him for allowing the "demon boy" into his home, Iruka shouldered the burden and took care of me anyway. I actually can't thank him enough." Naruto revealed.

"So then, why did you move out?" Sasuke asked, intrigued by Naruto's past. He'd been under the impression that Naruto had lived alone his entire life.

"I actually had to move out. When I turned 13, the Konoha elders declared that I was considered an adult and they forced Iruka to release me from his custody. I was given the apartment I live in now and I've been here ever since. Luckily, Iruka paid all of the bills until I could start going on missions to earn money. The way I figured, the elders were assuming that I couldn't fend for myself and were hoping that I'd eventually die from being on my own. I guess I proved them wrong." Naruto said.

"Alright, but who took the picture?" Sasuke asked.

"Kakashi-sensei. Though, it was before he and Iruka started dating. It turns out, they had been good friends before I was even born. He'd look after me whenever Iruka would leave to teach at the Ninja Academy." Naruto went on.

At hearing this, Sasuke's eyebrows rose in surprise. So Naruto grew up with both Iruka and Kakashi. No wonder he knew them both so well.

"Is there anything else you wanted to know?" Naruto asked.

"I guess not." Sasuke replied. "C'mon, let's head to the training field so we can get this training over with for today."

Naruto nodded and tied his hair into a ponytail before he and Sasuke slipped on their shinobi sandals and forehead protectors and headed out the door.

* * *

Upon meeting up with Kakashi and Sakura and making their way to the training grounds, Squad 7 was surprised to find Squad 10 arrive at the exact same time. Not only that, Shikamaru's father, Shikaku Nara was with them as well.

Shikaku Nara is the Jonin Commander of Konoha and the father of Shikamaru Nara. He greatly resembles Shikamaru, though he has a more mature looking appearance. His most distinguishing features are two scars on the right side of his face. He has dark hair tied up into a spiky ponytail, like Shikamaru's, and dark eyes as well as a goatee. His ears are also pierced. His attire consisted of a meshed shirt underneath his flak jacket, a deer skin coat over that and hand guards.

Upon first impression, it is easy to conclude that Shikamaru's personality is based directly off of Shikaku's, as Shikaku is sometimes seen with a board or irritated expression, he's incredibly lazy, and he commonly says things like "What a drag." Like his son, Shikaku is considered to be a genius, as he regularly beats Shikamaru in games of Shogi, despite Shikamaru being a brilliant strategist. Although, his resolve is much stronger, as even during the most depressing or dangerous of situations, he has been shown to maintain great determination and understanding. Also, he is a bit of an alcoholic.

"Asuma, I didn't know you were using the training grounds today." Kakashi said as he greeted the bearded Jonin.

"Well, since Shikamaru is going to have to fight in two matches during the Final Round, me and his old man decided that some training was in order. Plus, Ino and Choji need a little exercise." Asuma explained.

While Asuma and Kakashi chatted, Shikaku finally took notice of Kakashi's team, or more specifically, a certain blonde.

"Hey there Naruto. Long time no see huh?" Shikaku asked with a small, but warm smile.

"Hey Shikamaru's dad. It's good to see you too." Naruto replied cheerfully.

"Huh? Hey dobe, how do you know Shikamaru's father?" Sasuke asked.

"Back when I was a little kid, he used to always bring Shikamaru over to Iruka-sensei's house to play with me." Naruto explained.

A few moments later, Ino jogged over and captured Naruto in a hug, who then twirled around wit her in his arms, earning him a giggle from the blonde haired kunoichi before setting her back down again.

"Oh Naruto-kun, you always know how to make me laugh." Ino said as she held on to Naruto, causing the blonde to blush slightly.

While Sasuke may have been okay with the friendly hug, Sakura sure as hell wasn't. She hadn't forgotten about how Ino had turned into real bitch for no reason back at the Preliminary Arena, and just thinking back on it caused her anger to build. As if that wasn't bad enough, Ino was hanging on Naruto _again_.

"For the last time, back the fuck off of him you grimy little bitch!" Sakura hollered before forcefully shoving Ino off of Naruto.

"Honey I ain't no bitch so watch your damn mouth!" Ino shot back nastily before shoving Sakura back, but twice as hard.

'_Not again.' _Shikamaru thought. '_They always do this whenever their around each other.'_

Now officially pissed, Sakura tried to charge at Ino, but Naruto and Sasuke held her back.

"Sakura-chan, really, it's okay. You don't have to go postal over this." Naruto reassured her.

"Are you sure? Because all you have to do is say so, and I will beat that bitch's ass." Sakura said, pointing at Ino.

"I dare you to put your hands on me again! I'll drop your ass motherfucker!" Ino hollered as she tried to tackle Sakura, but Choji held her back.

"Ino, calm down." Choji pleaded.

"No, fuck her. I wanna see her try and run her mouth when I rip her head off her damn shoulders." Ino retorted.

"Ino, don't let her get to you. You said you wouldn't let her get under your skin like this anymore." Choji whispered into her ear.

After letting Choji's words sink in, Ino finally calmed down and backed off, Sakura doing the same. After both females had fully cooled off, the teams began to split up into pairs to begin their training.

"Hey Ino, do you think you could show me how to do that Liger Bomb thing?" Naruto asked Ino as he walked up to her.

"Sure Naruto-kun, I'll show you a few other techniques as well, but on one condition." Ino replied.

"What did you have in mind?"

"You have to teach me that jutsu you used to make your hair grow long like that." Ino said, motioning to her stub of a ponytail. By using the jutsu Naruto used, she had planned to make it grow back rather then wait.

Naruto agreed to Ino terms and the two began training.

The two teams continued to train until sunset. Ino taught Naruto how to do the Liger Bomb and a few of her other wrestling moves, though Naruto would need to practice the Liger Bomb technique a little more to get the hang of it. In return, Naruto taught Ino the Raging Lion's Mane Jutsu as well a similar jutsu called Needle Jizo. Using either of the techniques caused Ino's hair to grow back to its original length, stopping just above her butt.

Shikaku worked with Shikamaru and taught him a few new strategies as well as a couple of shadow techniques.

Kakashi worked with Sasuke in mastering the Lightning Style Armor, and by tomorrow, Sasuke would have the hang of it. Thanks to the Sharingan and his superior intelligence, Sasuke made great progress in only a couple of days, much to Kakashi's surprise. Even he hadn't expected Sasuke to get the hang of it so fast.

Lastly, Sakura did a few training exercises with Choji and Asuma, not wanting to be a 5th wheel.

* * *

20 minutes later, Sakura was at one her favorite teahouses in Konoha, enjoying a cup of hot herbal tea and sweet dumplings. Training had ended about 5 minutes ago, everyone else had already gone home as far as she knew, and Sakura wasn't due home just yet, so she decided to take it easy for the time being.

After finishing the last of her tea and dumplings and leaving a tip for the waitress, Sakura began to stroll aimlessly throughout Konoha. The sun was only halfway below the horizon by now and the sky was a beautiful mixture of pink, orange, and purple. While walking through the main center of town, Sakura spotted a Iruka and Kakashi in front of a bookstore. From what Sakura could tell, the two were on a date.

Kakashi was looking like a kid in a candy store as he gazed at the new Make Out Paradise Books on display in the front window, the ones that weren't on sale just yet. Iruka stood beside him with his hand slapped to his face and shaking his head.

Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. Both of her sensei really did look cute together.

As she walked on a little more, she noticed Naruto trying to pull Sasuke in Ichiraku's Ramen Bar. Sasuke was arguing that he wasn't in the mood for ramen and was trying to pull free from Naruto's grasp, but Naruto wasn't having it and pulled Sasuke into Ichiraku's anyway.

Giving a warm smile while shaking her head, Sakura decided that she would spend the rest of her free time at the park watching the sunset. She would have peace and quiet there, not to mention a spectacular view. With this thought in mind, Sakura made her way to Konoha Park and headed for the park bench she always sat at. However, upon reaching her favorite spot, she was met with an unpleasant, and unexpected, surprise.

Ino was already sitting there.

At seeing Sakura walk up, Ino stood up and was about to walk away when Sakura stopped her.

"Wait, you don't have to leave Ino." Sakura said. "We can...sit together. If you want to, that is."

Ino turned around and narrowed her eyes before reluctantly going to sit back down, though she sat all the way at the other end of the bench.

"So...nice view huh?" Sakura asked, trying to be nice and ease some of the tension between her and the blonde haired girl.

"Whatever." was Ino's only reply.

For the next few minutes, Ino and Sakura simply sat there, watching the sunset together in tense silence. At a time like this, all it took was one wrong move or word to set one of them off. As they sat there, Sakura's mind began to wander and she soon found herself thinking back to what Ino had said back at the Preliminary Arena during their match.

_"After what you did, you've got some nerve looking down on me!"_

Those words still nagged at her and it made her curiosity grow more and more. What did Ino mean by that? Sure, she'd done some horrible things in the past, but who hasn't? What did she do that could've pissed Ino off that much? All of these questions only fed her curiosity. She knew that asking about it would more than likely piss Ino off, but she had to know. The suspense was really starting to get at her. So, with nothing left to lose, Sakura took a deep breath.

"Hey, Ino, can I ask you something?" Sakura asked a little timidly, her heart pounding.

Ino turned to give her a sideways glare.

"I'm listening." Ino said with a slightly icy tone.

"It's gonna make you make you mad though." Sakura warned.

"Just say it already!" Ino said heatedly, causing Sakura to flinch slightly.

"What did you mean when you said "_After what you did?". _Sakura asked, trying to get it out as fast as she could, but slow enough so that Ino could understand her.

At hearing this, Ino smacked her teeth and stood up before glaring angrily at Sakura.

"You know what Sakura? You really are a nosy bitch! You just don't know when to leave shit well enough alone, do you?" Ino said before beginning to storm off. However, Sakura wasn't about to let her go that easily.

"Ino, wait a second! Just tell me what I did!" Sakura all but pleaded, making Ino stop and turn around.

"I wanna know. What did I do that made you hate me _so_ much? I don't understand." Sakura continued.

For a moment, Ino just glared at her as she studied Sakura's expression. Finally, she realized that Sakura was being sincere and her glare softened a little.

"You really don't remember?" Ino asked.

Sakura only shrugged.

Sighing, Ino led Sakura back to the bench they were sitting at and took a deep breath before letting it out. She had spent years trying to suppress the memory, but for this one moment, she would voluntarily allow it to come back to the surface. Of course, telling Sakura what she did was the easy part, but before she could get to that, she'd have to get past the hard part: telling Sakura how she really felt.

"Alright, I guess I'll start by...telling you how I really feel." Ino said

"How you really feel?" Sakura repeated in a confused tone.

Ino nodded. "I...like you." Ino said in a whispered tone.

"Huh? I can't hear you." Sakura said.

Ino took another deep breath.

"I said...I like you."

Sakura just stared at her.

"You like me?" Sakura said slowly. "I still don't understand."

Ino smacked her teeth again. How could this girl be that clueless when, during the first part of the Chunin Exams, she seemed like a genius. Seeing that Sakura wasn't going to understand, Ino tried a much bolder way of getting Sakura to understand what she meant.

Without another second of hesitation, Ino leaned over and kissed Sakura on her soft lips. Sakura jumped and squealed slightly as Ino began to move her lips against hers, angling her head slightly. Sakura's face then turned redder than a tomato as she felt a strange warmth travel throughout her body.

When Ino pulled away, Sakura was left blushing and breathless. Her mouth was hanging open slightly and she was shocked beyond words, letting what had just happened sink in, but still not believing it. Ino...actually liked her like _that_. As this fact sunk in, Sakura's head began to spin and her heart felt as though it were about to burst out of her chest as she looked at Ino as though she were a stranger.

Sakura finally calmed down a little...and just sat there, staring off into space. Neither girl looked at each other for what seemed like the longest time and didn't say anything, nor did they even look at each other. Finally...

"How long?" Sakura questioned in a low voice. "How long have you felt this way?"

Ino didn't answer right away, but simply closed her eyes instead before reopening them.

"...Since we first met." Ino revealed.

Sakura drew in a breath and her eyes widened at hearing this. All of the times she and Ino had spent together as little girls flashed through her mind: the sleepovers they'd had. The times she would snuggle up close against Ino. All the times they'd hugged. All of those times, Ino had carried special feelings for her and Sakura had only intensified them with each moment of physical contact. As all of these flashbacks went through her head, one question came to mind.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sakura asked after being silent for nearly 10 minutes.

"I was going to, but..." Ino let her voice trail off.

"But what?" Sakura pressed.

"You ended our friendship on the day I was finally going to tell you." Ino finished, causing Sakura's eyes to widen even more, as impossible as that seemed.

Ino sighed and closed her eyes again as the memory replayed in her mind.

She'd been so excited that day, for her father had explained to her what that jittery feeling meant whenever she was around Sakura.

* * *

_13 year old Ino Yamanaka walked through the front door of her house, looking perplexed. She had decided to walk Sakura home that day, and the whole time, Ino felt jittery and tongue tied. Her hands kept sweating and she'd stutter whenever she spoke, resulting in her not saying anything for the rest of the walk._

_This wasn't the first time this had happened. It had started happening ever since she'd first met the pink-haired girl, but she could never understand why since she'd never felt this way before. Ino had racked her brain for every plausible cause of the weird jittery feeling during the entire walk to her own house, but she hadn't been able to come up with anything._

_As she walked into the living room, her father, Inoichi Yamanaka, who was reading a scroll with information on his next mission, noticed her troubled expression._

_"Ino, is there something the matter?" Inoichi asked._

_"Well...yes and no." Ino said as she sat her backpack down on the floor. "It's about me and Sakura."_

_"Well is everything okay." Inoichi asked, his voice laced with concern._

_"Yeah, but...I get this weird feeling around her." Ino said. "Like, I get jittery and my heart rate speeds up whenever I'm around her. Take today for example, I couldn't even talk to her without stuttering almost every word."_

_"I see. When did this first start?" Inoichi asked, already starting to realize what Ino was going through._

_"When I first met her." Ino answered. "Why? What does that have to do with anything? Is there something wrong with me?"_

_Inoichi only smiled warmly before raising up out of his chair and placing a reassuring hand on Ino's shoulder._

_"No Ino, your not sick. You're in love." Inoichi said._

_"Love? But that can't be it. Sakura is another **girl**, not a boy." Ino pointed out._

_"Even still, it's who your heart wants."_

_"But then...what should I do?"_

_"Tell her how you feel. It probably won't be easy, but at least you'll feel more at ease around her."_

_"But what if she doesn't feel the same way about me?"_

_"Well, that's a chance you have to take when dealing with love Ino. It could bring you two closer than ever, or it could break apart you friendship in an instant. It's a game of chance you could say. Of course, you don't have to tell Sakura how you feel right away if you don't want to. Tell her when you think the time is right."_

_Ino nodded and gave her daddy a hug before grabbing her back and running up to her room._

_

* * *

_

_That weekend, Ino and Sakura sat on a park bench at one of the best spots in Konoha Park. It offered a fantastic view of the horizon and it was the quietest spot. _

_At Ino's request, Inoichi had called Sakura's mom and scheduled a play date for their daughters at Konoha Park. It had been Ino's idea, for she had wanted to reveal her true feelings to Sakura at the quietest and most serene place she knew of. So now, here they were._

_For the first couple of minutes, neither girl said anything, which was unlike them as they would spend hours chatting back and forth. Tension hung in the air and became thicker with each passing second. Something wasn't right, Ino could feel it. Perhaps this wasn't the best idea after all._

_After spending 15 minutes simply staring off into space and nervously twittling with their thumbs, both girls decided that it was time to get what they wanted to say off their chests._

_"I have to tell you something!" both girls blurted out at the exact same time._

_"You first." Ino said, feeling nervous about what she wanted to say. It was then that she became aware of her sweaty palms and quickly wiped them on her jeans._

_"Is it true what I heard?" Sakura asked. "You like Sasuke too?"_

_Ino tensed slightly at hearing this. It was no secret that Sasuke Uchiha was the most popular boy around. He not only had the top grades in his class, but he was also perfect at basically everything he did. He was considered to be a genius by practically everyone he came across and the girls were absolutely crazy about him. If **the** Sasuke Uchiha even so much as spoke to you, you'd be granted instant popularity as the boy hardly ever spoke to anyone, despite his outstanding reputation. Even Ino felt slightly attracted to the boy._

_At hearing Sakura's question, Ino slowly nodded._

_"Yeah, a little." Ino admitted._

_"I see." Sakura said before standing up suddenly, catching Ino by surprise._

_With her eyes closed, Sakura reached up and untied the red ribbon from around the top of her head. Ino had given it to her when they had first met in order to get Sakura to stop hiding her forehead and it held a lot of childhood memories. However, all of those sweet memories were about to fly out the window, for Ino's look of surprise intensified when Sakura placed the red ribbon on her lap._

_"Then I won't be needing this anymore." Sakura said with a slightly grave tone, showing that she was being serious. "There's room for only one girl in Sasuke's heart, and it's me. Sorry Ino, but from here on out, we're rivals. Whether you like it or not, our friendship is over."_

_For a moment, Ino said nothing as reality sunk in._

_"But...why?" Ino asked, her voice almost cracking with emotion. "Why...are you doing this?"_

_"...It's better this way. Soon, you'll understand." Sakura said, her voice cold._

_Without another word or even giving Ino a second glance, Sakura turned and walked off. Ino's mouth gaped open as she watched Sakura walk away. She was speechless, and to make it worse, there was now an intense aching feeling in her heart, which was made worse as she looked at the red ribbon laying in her lap. Warm tears began to well up in Ino's eyes, but she blinked them back and sat there for the longest time, looking at the red ribbon._

_"But...I love you." Ino finally said. However, Sakura was already long gone._

_That's right. The bench where the two girls are sitting is the exact same place where Ino experienced the worse day of her life._

_Even now, after all these years, Ino could remember that day so clearly, as though it had happened only yesterday. She'd managed to hold herself together all the way up to the point when she'd gotten home, that red ribbon still clutched in her hand. When she stepped into the middle of her room and took one last look at the red ribbon...she finally broke._

_Ino collapsed to the floor and cried. Not just silent tears, but full blown sobbing. She cried and cried and couldn't stop. The tears and sobs came on their own and the aching feeling in her heart grew worse. The whole time, she never let go of that red ribbon, instead clutching it tighter and hugging it to her chest._

_Ino was still crying by the time Inoichi arrived home that night from his mission. At hearing his daughter crying, Inoichi rushed up to her room and spotted the red ribbon Ino was grasping, giving him an idea of what had happened. He gathered her sobbing form into his arms and comforted her as best he could, telling her everything was going to be alright. Unfortunately, it had no effect, for Ino continued to bawl uncontrollably. By then, Ino had long run out tears, but she still kept crying anyway._

_Finally, after crying for nearly 9 hours straight, Ino fell into a restless sleep. She woke up several times throughout the night and cried some more while hollering Sakura's name, forcing Inoichi to come and comfort her until she fell back asleep again._

_Ever since that day, the two girls had been bitter enemies, getting into so many fistfights at the academy that it eventually didn't surprise anyone anymore. Some of the scars from those fight never healed, both physical and emotional._

_As the fights got worse, Ino's feelings for Sakura began to disappear more and more until they became almost none existent. She'd tried to reach out to Sakura and rekindle their friendship, but each attempt met in failure, forcing Ino to accept the fact that they would never be friends again. Afterwards, Ino accepted her other attraction for Sasuke and began to chase after and fawn over the Uchiha boy along with everyone else, thus escalating the rivalry between her and Sakura even more._

* * *

Sakura's mouth gaped open as Ino reminded her of exactly what happened on that day. When she'd finally realized what she'd done to make Ino hate her so much, Sakura was left feeling like a total ass.

She'd not only ended the friendship she and Ino had shared, but she'd also broken Ino's heart at the same time. And for what? All because of a boy who didn't even like them to begin with?

"You were my first love." Ino said, looking Sakura in the eye. "But...I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Ino...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like that." Sakura apologized. "I didn't know. I-I-I mean...I'm so sorry."

As she listened to Sakura apologize, Ino clenched her fists. After all the pain Sakura had put her through that day, all she could say was "sorry"?

"Don't bother apologizing. You wouldn't have returned my feelings anyway." Ino said with a slightly icy tone as she faced forward and hung her head.

"You don't know that for sure. I might've felt the same way." Sakura suggested.

"Oh please."

"No, really. I mean, who's to say?"

Without warning, Ino leaned over and planted another deep kiss on Sakura's lips. Sakura's eyes widened again, but this time she didn't jump or squeal or even push Ino away. This time, for some reason, she actually allowed Ino to kiss her. However, Sakura almost did squeal and jump when Ino placed her hand on her lower back, allowing her to pull the pink-haired girl closer to her. Her other hand was placed on Sakura's thigh.

Finally, Ino pulled away and looked Sakura in the eye.

"Well? Did you feel anything? Anything at all?" Ino asked.

Sakura didn't answer at first. Instead, she merely stared at Ino and blushed heavily.

"I-I-I...I...I..." the words choked in Sakura's throat. She really didn't know what to say or feel.

"I knew it. I should've never told you in the first place." Ino said before getting up and storming off.

"Ino, wait! Don't go!" Sakura shouted, finally finding her voice.

However, Ino ignored her and continued to storm off until she finally disappeared.

Sakura continued to sit there at the bench, her head spinning with one question: Did she really love Ino back? This was all so sudden and a lot to take in at once. No, she couldn't be in love with Ino. Her whole life, Sakura's parents had told her that loving someone of the same gender in _that _sort of way was wrong. But still, Sakura had definitely felt something when Ino had kissed her, a certain warmth that paralyzed her to the spot.

And Ino's touches...they had been so gentle. Sakura couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen Ino like that. Usually, Ino only touched her whenever they were beating the hell of each other. This time, she'd been tender, loving even. Still, Sakura wasn't sure if she actually felt the same feelings that Ino felt toward her.

It was night time by the time Sakura finally returned home, still confused and exhausted. After she'd taken off her shinobi sandals and gotten changed into her night clothes, Sakura prepared to climb into bed, but suddenly stopped herself when she became aware of a cold sensation between her legs. Perplexed, Sakura reached down underneath her nightgown and felt her underwear, though immediately jerked her hand back as though she had been burned. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura felt her underwear again, and her eyes widened upon coming into contact with moisture.

She had become "wet", her underwear completely drenched.

**This concludes this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and please be sure to review. Also, so there's not any confusion, I'm gonna go ahead and change the other characters to their Shippuden versions. I haven't made the changes to the other chapters just yet, but I'll get around to it eventually. So just give me some time on that one. Also, I'm still not sure whether or not Pain will make an appearance in this story or not. I'll leave it up to you guys. In the meantime, drop me a review and let me know what you think.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Before we begin the chapter, here's how you can see a picture of the Rikudo Sennin and the Ten-Tailed Beast.**

**Ten-Tailed Beast= go to Google, click on images and type in Ten-Tailed Beast. It's the third picture.**

**Rikudo Sennin= go to Google, click on images and type in Rikudo Sennin. It's the fourth picture in the second row.**

**Also, I'd like to apologize if this story seems a little off topic. I'm just trying to get these other pairings out of the way so the focus can be on Naruto and Sasuke more, but like I said, I really apologize for that. I'd also like to apologize for the long wait. I've been busy researching the right college to go to and I've been a little distracted. I deeply apologize for that too. On a brighter side, I'd like to thank all of you reviewers for having patience with me for this long. I know some of you guys don't wanna hear about these other pairings, but I thank you for hanging in there and being patient with me. Lastly, I'd like to apologize if any of the characters are OC. As I have found out, keeping everyone in character is not easy at all. **

**Thankfully, this is the last chapter for SakuxIno, so at least that's out the way. I still need to go back and make those revisions to the other chapters as well, but everyone is their Shippuden versions in case any of you all have forgotten. I mentioned it in the last chapter. Again, I deeply apologize for the wait and the off-topicness. After this, the focus will go back to Naruto and Sasuke for a while.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 36**

It was a week and a half later and Sakura's mind was still in a frantic and confused state. Currently, she was home alone, laying across her bed after having just eaten the dinner her parents had left for her; they had left about 30 minute ago for some time to themselves. The entire house was as quiet as a tomb, which is exactly what Sakura preferred at the moment for the quietness allowed her to think more clearly. Her mind was still turbulent over Ino's kisses at the park and her body's reaction.

For the past few days, she had been convincing herself that she didn't feel the same way Ino had secretly felt about her. However, if that was the case, then why had she gotten aroused? Why had her lips tingled after Ino had pulled away? And there was no denying the warmth that traveled throughout her body when Ino's lips had met hers. Ever since the day they had first met, Sakura had never felt any sort of special feelings for Ino. However, when Ino had kissed and held her, she felt..._whole, safe. _Despite the signs, the fact still remained that Ino was a _girl, _and it was that fact that pushed Sakura to keep convicing herself that she hadn't become attracted to Ino.

Though she still couldn't deny the signs. If she wasn't attracted to Ino, then signs wouldn't have presented themselves.

With all of these conflicting thoughts buzzing around within her head, Sakura plopped her head onto her pillow in frustration. She couldn't decide whether she returned Ino's feelings or not and now she was starting to lose sleep over it. She had come up to her room for a small nap, but sleep just wouldn't come. As if that wasn't bad enough, Ino was still pissed at her and heartbroken, so if Sakura actually decided that she did return Ino's feelings, the latter wouldn't listen to her anyway. Sakura had never felt so helpless. After laying there with her head down for 10 more minutes, Sakura decided that she wouldn't be able to figure this out on her own. She was going to need help, but from who? As she sat and thought for a minute, a certain someone came to mind.

Not wasting anymore time, Sakura got up off her bed and slipped on her shinobi sandals. Hopefully, he was home at this time, considering it was almost nighttime. If not, then getting this problem sorted out was going to take even longer.

* * *

Iruka breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped out of the steamy shower and slipped into his clean clothes, though being careful to move slowly. He had just woken up from a nap after an intimate episode with Kakashi and he was still a little sore, but it was nothing new for Iruka. After being with the silver-haired Jonin for nearly three years now, Iruka had become so use to Kakashi's aggressivness in bed that his body had become accustomed to the soreness. Though they hadn't gotten intimate in a while so Iruka would have to readjust.

After brushing his teeth, putting on his clean clothes, and putting his hair back in the usual ponytail, Iruka stepped out of the bathroom and took his dirty clothes to the laundry room before making his way to the living room. On his way to plop down on the couch, a picture on the bookshelf beside the couch caught his eye, for it had not been there before.

It was a picture of Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake. His picture was oval shaped and in the middle of two sets of dates. Above was his birth date and below was the date that he'd died. Above his birth date were the words "_In Loving Memory of Konoha's White Fang"._ Looking at the picture, Iruka found it almost frightening how much Kakashi and Sakumo looked alike, though Sakumo's facial features were more distinguished compared to Kakashi's visible ones. Letting out a sigh, Iruka smiled solemnly as he recalled the day Sakumo had died. He was only a young boy then, but the news had stuck with him.

Closing his eyes, Iruka said a small prayer before reopening his eyes and noticing Kakashi from his peripheral vision giving him a questioning look.

"Iruka, what are you doing?" Kakashi asked as he walked over, wearing only his Jonin uniform, his Sharingan eye closed.

Iruka didn't answer for a moment.

"Do you ever miss him, Kakashi?" Iruk asked instead.

Kakashi looked at the picture on the bookshelf and realized who Iruka was referring to.

"Yes, everyday." Kakashi answered as he gave his father's picture a solemn gaze. "Sometimes, I wish he were still here."

A dreadful silence hung in the air as memories of his father flashed through Kakashi's mind. However, he was brought of his thoughts by Iruka wrapping his loving arms around his neck.

"If he were here, he'd be proud of you. I know it." Iruka said before slowly reaching up and pulling down Kakashi's mask, revealing his handsome face and full lips that were just begging to be kissed.

Licking his own lips sensually, Iruka leaned up on his tiptoes and captured Kakashi in a heated kiss. In response, Kakashi moaned and wrapped his arms around Iruka before eagerly returning the kiss. As the two made out, Kakashi, deciding that now was the time to let out his perverted side, let his hands wander wherever they pleased, sensually stroking Iruka's back and the back of his head before finally bringing his hands lower to rest on Iruka's ass. Surprised, Iruka opened his his mouth to draw in a breath, allowing Kakashi to slip his tongue in.

As Kakashi's tongue explored his mouth, Iruka's own tongue began to come to life. As it rubbed up against Kakashi's tongue, the two appendages engaged in a fierce battle of wills, a battle which Kakashi allowed Iruka to win. As Iruka's tongue made itself at home within his mouth, Kakashi began to suck on the slimy muscle, causing Iruka to moan deep his throat before their tongues began to battle again.

As the two made out, Kakashi cleverly maneuvered them to the couch where they both collapsed in a breathless heap, still holding onto each other. Laying beside Kakashi, Iruka took the opportunity to explore the Jonin's body and gently placed his hand on Kakashi's chest, feeling the muscles underneath.

Smirking, Kakashi removed his shirt and tossed it onto the floor, exposing his rippling chest which Iruka immediately began to touch, feeling the pecs all the way down to the sculpted six pack abs. Now breathing heavy with lust, Iruka leaned forward and took one of Kakashi's hardened nipples into his mouth while placing his hand on the Jonin's hip. Though Iruka wasn't done there.

After giving both of Kakashi's nipples attention, Iruka licked and sucked every inch of Kakashi's upper body, working his way down to the abs and tracing over them with his tongue while his gently rubbed Kakashi's hip, causing the silvered haired Jonin to groan and shudder as waves of pleasure swept over him. After tasting every visible inch of skin, Iruka moved up and began to lick and suck at Kakashi's pulse while pressing himself flat up against the Jonin. As he pressed himself against Kakashi, Iruka's eyes widened when he felt an enormous bulge poking him in the stomach.

"...Sorry." Kakashi sheepishly apologized. "I can't help it."

Instead of replying back right away, Iruka stared at him blankly for a minute before chuckling.

"I know." Iruka said in a slightly seductive tone as he wrapped his hand around Kakashi's erection, causing the Jonin to jump slightly. "It's what I was aiming for."

After giving Kakashi one more peck on the lips, Iruka instructed Kakashi to sit near the edge of the couch, which the Jonin did without question. After his lover properly seated, Iruka moved to sit on the floor right between Kakashi's legs. Realizing what was about to happen, Kakashi's open eye widened considerably. He was dreaming, he had to be.

But he wasn't.

After unzipping his lover's navy blue uniform pants, Iruka backed away a little when Kakashi's large erection popped out, pulsing no more than a few inches from his face. Smirking deviously, Iruka gently tapped it and watched it bob back and forth a few times before licking it up and down repeatedly like a scoop of ice cream, causing Kakashi to let out another groan at the sensation.

Since the day they had first started going out, Kakashi had been awaiting the day when Iruka would finally come around and do this. Though, during their first intimate session, Iruka had clearly told Kakashi that he would never go down on him, saying that it was unhygienic and that he wasn't comfortable with the idea. Well, never say never.

After licking Kakashi's 12 inch long shaft, Iruka gave a few experimental licks to the head as well, tasting the precum that had collected there before taking the entire head into his mouth and beginning to suck at a firm pace.

'_So this is what it's like.' _Iruka thought as he took in a little more. He'd said that he'd never do this, but his curiosity had been nagging at him ever since then. Finally, his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he'd decided that try it, just this once. So far, it wasn't so bad, but he wouldn't do it very often.

"Iruka." Kakashi breathed out as he leaned back on the couch. '_Being this good with your mouth should be a crime in on itself.'_

Seeing that Kakashi was enjoying this, Iruka attempted to swallow him, but found this difficult as Kakashi was just as thick as he was long. After a few tries, Iruka managed to finally swallow Kakashi's cock down his throat, though he had a feeling that he would have a sore throat in the morning. However, Iruka put that aside and continued to suck anyway.

'_Yes...finally! Just a little more and I'm there.' _Kakashi thought as he felt his semen rise. '_Almost there...'_

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

_'What the hell was that?' _Kakashi thought as he listened for the sound again. Even Iruka had stopped his ministrations to listen.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Iruka-sensei? Kakashi-sensei? Are you home?" a voice called from behind the front door.

"Sakura?" Kakashi said questioningly.

Realizing that it was one of his former students, Iruka pulled off of Kakashi's dick with a 'pop' before rising up to his feet and refixing his hair, which had become disheveled during his and Kakashi's make out session.

"Wait a minute. Iruka...aren't you going to finish?" Kakashi asked, not believing that Iruka was actually going to to leave him like this.

Again, Iruka didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked into the bedroom that he and Kakashi shared and pulled a thick blanket out of the closet, one big enough to hide Kakashi's predicament. He then walked back into the living room and draped the blanket over Kakashi's lower body.

"Yes, I will finish, but not now. So until then, sit up, put your shirt on, and act casually." Iruka said before walking to the door.

'_Of all the times for Sakura to come over for a visit, why now?__' _Kakashi ranted angrily in his head as he slipped his shirt back on, put his penis back in his pants, and sat up.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNO-

Iruka opened the door halfway through Sakura's fourth knock, surprising and confusing the pink haired girl.

"Iruka-sensei? You're visiting Kakashi-sensei too?" Sakura asked, her fist still raised to knock.

"Well, actually Sakura, I live here now." Iruka revealed. "I moved in a year after me and Kakashi started dating."

Sakura's mouth dropped open at the revelation. Though, it shouldn't have been to surprising since Sasuke had moved in with Naruto not too long after they had started dating also. Still, the thought of Iruka and Kakashi living together still surprised her for some reason.

"Would you like to come inside?" Iruka offered, opening the door wider.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could speak with you privately about something." Sakura said. "Out here." She had originally come to ask Kakashi-sensei, but Iruka was just as good.

Iruka's eyes widened momentarily before giving Sakura a warm smile.

"I'll be back in a minute Kakashi." Iruka said over his shoulder before slipping on his shinobi sandals and closing the door behind him.

Kakashi let out a sigh. Well, if he was going to sit here, he might as well make the best of it. Getting up and looking through the bookshelf, Kakashi finally found his Make-Out Violence novel and picked up where he left off after plopping back down on the couch.

Meanwhile, back outside, Sakura and Iruka were sitting on the two chairs out on the balcony of Kakashi's apartment, watching what was left of the sun sink below the horizon.

"So Sakura, what did you want to talk about." Iruka asked.

"It's about Ino." Sakura said. "You see...well...she kissed me a week and half ago."

At hearing this bit of information, Iruka's jaw nearly hit the deck. Ino actually revealed her feelings to Sakura! Ever since the day Sakura had broken her heart, Ino had regularly gone to see Iruka like a guidance counselor and he'd often help Ino calm down after another fistfight with Sakura. After so many fights, Iruka finally couldn't stand it any longer and had ordered Ino to tell him what was going on between her and Sakura.

So, she'd told him, and ever since then, Iruka had agreed to keep it a secret until Ino was ready to tell Sakura on her own. Now that day had finally come.

"She...kissed you?" Iruka repeated.

Sakura nodded.

"Twice. Apparently, she'd had a crush on me ever since the day we'd first met." Sakura revealed. "She kissed me the first time to get her point across."

Iruka nodded to show he was still listening.

"Well, how did you feel then?" he asked a second later.

"Shocked, more than anything. I mean, I didn't know what else to feel at that moment. I'd never felt any sort of attraction to Ino before, but then she comes out of nowhere and reveals that she loves me, and kisses me at that! I mean, this is all so sudden and I don't know what to do!" Sakura answered frantically as she began to pull at her hair.

"Alright, calm down and take a deep breath." Iruka said. Sakura had started to hyperventilate. "What happened next?"

"Well, it turns out that Ino was going to reveal her feelings to me on the same day I was going to tell her about my feelings for Sasuke. But when I found out that Ino sort of liked Sasuke too, I ended or friendship and walked away. I didn't realize that I'd broken her heart at the same time, and I still feel awful about it. I really didn't mean to hurt Ino like that." Sakura explained.

"But anyway, she said that it didn't matter because she figured that I wouldn't return her feelings anyway. But then I argued that she'd didn't exactly know that for sure. That was when she kissed me the second time and asked how I felt afterwards. When I didn't answer, she got pissed at me and stormed off."

Iruka nodded a little more as Sakura explained had happened.

"Well, do you return Ino's feelings." he asked.

"Well, that's just the thing. I don't know If I return Ino's feelings. It's been nagging me for week and half now and I've lost sleep over it." Sakura replied.

"I see. Well, try and think back for a minute. What did you feel when Ino kissed you the second time?" Iruka asked.

Sakura sighed as she contemplated whether or not to tell Iruka that bit of information. It was kind of embarrassing to be talking to her former teacher about this, but if she was to decide what to do, she'd have to swallow her pride.

"Well, the first thing I felt was this "warmth" that traveled throughout my entire body. At first, I thought it'd only presented itself the second time Ino had kissed me, but now that I really think back on it, I realize that I felt it the first time too. I was just too shocked to really pay attention to it."

Iruka raised his eyebrows at hearing this. That little piece of information let him know right away that Sakura did return Ino's feelings, though she was not consciously aware of it. Even still, it was all he needed to hear.

"You're in love with her"

"Then while she was kissing me, she held m-wait what?" Sakura said, cutting herself off as Iruka's words finally sunk in.

"You're in love with her."

Sakura just stared at him for a minute as though he'd just done a magic trick.

"That "warmth" you felt that traveled through your body was love. Subconsciously, your heart had already decided that it'd wanted Ino once she'd kissed you the first time. Consciously though, you were not aware for you were overwhelmed with the situation at hand. Basically, you actually do love Ino back, you just haven't come to terms with it yet." Iruka explained.

"Iruka-sensei, that sounds totally insane. How can I be in love with Ino? I've never felt anything for her before!" Sakura pointed out.

"Well, everyone experiences love differently. Ino fell in love with you the minute she saw you. You, on the other hand, subconsciously fell in love with her through brief intimate contact. What can I say? Love works in mysterious ways." Iruka said, shrugging slightly.

"Well then...what should I do?"

"First, you have to accept the fact that you're attracted to Ino. After that, tell her how you feel. You don't necessarily have to do it now, but you should eventually."

"But Ino hates me right now, and honestly, I don't blame her. She isn't going to listen to me."

"She will. You forget that there's still a part of Ino that has feelings for you. That part of her will at least get her to listen to what you have to say."

"But what if she **doesn't **forgive me? What if she listens to what I have to say, but still rejects me because she's pissed. You have to understand Iruka-sensei, Ino is just an angry person. Most of the time, it's her anger that drives her to do some the things that she does."

"I understand that, but it's still worth giving a shot. Who's to say? Maybe Ino will come around if you give her time to cool off. After all, you accepting her is something that she's always wanted. So even if she is angry, giving her time to cool off might change her mind."

Sakura was about to argue back, but then changed her mind. Iruka did have a point. If Ino was still pissed, maybe accepting her and giving her time to calm done would solve the problem. However, there was still one thing that kept her from making up her mind.

"Well, that does sound like a good idea, but the fact still remains that Ino is _girl_." Sakura pointed out. "People would look at us funny and talk about us."

"Sakura, you're going to have to look past that. Sure, people are gonna look at you kind of funny and talk, but screw them. You're with whom your destined to be with, so who cares what they think or say? Better yet, look it this way: Kakashi and I are both guys, but we didn't let that come between us. Even despite his incredible reputation among the villagers, Kakashi still revealed his feelings to me anyway, regardless of what everyone else would think of him, and we've been together ever since. If you really want to settle this bad blood between you and Ino, you're going to have to put the fact that you're both female behind you and accept the fact that you love her. Sure, it may be a little awkward since you and her were rivals, but you'll grow accustomed to each other eventually." Iruka argued.

Again, he had a good point. Now there was nothing holding her back, except herself.

"But...I'm still not sure if I really like Ino that way. How do I accept that I like her?" Sakura asked.

Iruka only smiled and got up from his chair. He then walked over to Sakura and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Just follow your heart Sakura, and do what it tells you." Iruka said before walking back into the house to cuddle with Kakashi on the couch.

For the next 15 minutes, Sakura just sat there, reflecting on how crazy all of this was. After all the fights and horrible things she and Ino had done to each other, they were now on the verge of becoming lovers. If Ino forgave her, it could finally end the feud between them.

'_I don't believe this. The thought of having a relationship with Ino right now too unbelievable to comprehend. After everything I've been through with her, a relationship simply isn't going to work. There has to be some way to get around this, but how?' _Sakura thought to herself with her head resting in her hands. With no ideas coming to mind, Sakura just sat there, looking off into space with a sad look on her face.

Talking with Iruka had helped her a little, but she still wasn't quite sure whether or not to actually accept her feelings for Ino or not. She was still going to need some help with this. She considered asking her parents for help, but then quickly decided against it. Sakura's parents were strongly against same sex relationships and looked down on it as though it were a crime against nature. If Sakura were to tell them that she maybe falling in love with another girl, they would _flip_. Hell, they'd probably denounce her as their daughter! With her parents officially crossed off the list, there were only two people left whom she could go to for advice. Even though the streetlights had come on, it still wasn't that late and most of Konoha was still wide awake. Hopefully, the two people she needed to see would be awake too.

Without wasting another precious moment, Sakura shot up from her chair, raced down the stairs and charged off into the night.

* * *

After running for nearly 15 minutes straight, Sakura finally stood outside of Naruto's doorstep panting heavily. After finally catching her breath and fixing her slightly disheaveled hair, Sakura took a deep breath and knocked on the door several times. A few moments later, she could hear voices from inside.

"Naruto, door!"

"Damn it teme! Would it kill you to get off your ass? Jesus, you're acting just like Shikamaru!"

"Whatever. Shut up and answer the door."

"Hey, fuck you! And pause the movie till I get back teme! I don't wanna miss it!"

It took all of Sakura's inner strength not burst out laughing at that moment. It was just so hilarious whenever Naruto and Sasuke had their little fights. However, Sakura had to quickly compose herself when she heard the familiar sound of a lock turning, and a moment later, she was staring into Naruto's surprised blue eyes. Her blonde haired teammate was wearing an orange shirt and khaki shorts. He was barefoot and his hair wasn't in it's usual shaggy ponytail. Instead, it hung down his back and slightly past his ass.

"Sakura-chan! How have you been girl?" Naruto shouted excitedly as he moved forward and enveloped Sakura in a tight hug, nearly cutting off the pinkette's air supply.

"I've been fine Naruto-kun. Now could you please let me breathe?" Sakura said with difficulty.

"Oh, sorry." Naruto said with a blush. "Well don't just stand there, come on in!"

With almost no effort at all, Naruto pulled Sakura into his apartment with one strong tug, catching Sakura by surprise. After taking her shoes off at the door and closing said door behind her, Sakura followed Naruto into the dimly lit living room and gave a friendly wave to the Uchiha, who only gave a quick nod in return.

Said Uchiha was sitting upright on the pulled-out couch, wearing a T-shirt and watching _"__Die Hard 2__" _on the plasma screen television, a thick blanket thrown over the lower half of his body.

"So Sakura-chan, can I get you anything?" Naruto asked.

"No, I actually won't be staying for very long." Sakura replied.

Despite the fake smile he was given, Naruto could tell something was wrong just by looking at his pink-haired teammate. For one thing, she seemed nervous about something, as though there was something troubling on her mind. Also, she kept moving from one foot to another and she was fidgeting, as if she was debating something in her mind.

"So, Sakura-chan, what brings you here?" Naruto said, breaking the silence that he hadn't even been aware of.

"Uh...well...I needed to talk to Sasuke for a minute." Sakura admitted while rubbing the back of her head nervously.

Both of her teammates just sort of stared at her.

"What do you need to talk to me for?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow.

Despite being on the same team, Sasuke was not really close to Sakura at all, especially not as close to her as Naruto.

"It's kind of important. Can we talk outside?" Sakura asked while pointing to the sliding door that lead outside to the terrace.

Sasuke looked over at Naruto with a look that said '_what's this all about?', _though all he got from his blonde-haired lover was a shrug of the shoulders. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Sasuke got out from under the covers and lazily made his way to the sliding glass door.

"This had better be good Sakura." Sasuke warned as he slid the door open and stepped outside.

Sakura hurriedly got up and walked out onto the terrace with Sasuke. The two then sat down on the stone bench and were given a great view of the town. Crickets could be heard chirping in the distance and few fire flies could be seen lighting up in the night as well. A gentle breeze blew through, making the grass and trees dance in the wind.

"Alright, what do you need to talk about?" Sasuke asked uninterestingly. "And make this quick. One of my favorite movies is on and I don't wanna miss it."

Sakura nodded and closed her eyes to calm herself. It wouldn't be easy asking what she was about to ask. Knowing Sasuke, he'd probably get mad and say it was none of her business, but he was the best person to ask in this situation, as crazy as that sounded.

"Sasuke, how did you and Naruto fall in love?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke slightly narrowed his eyes.

"Why do you wanna know?"

"I just need to know okay. I know it's personal, but please tell me."

Sasuke sighed.

"It was back at the Ninja Academy, when me and Naruto accidentally kissed."

Sakura's eyes widened a little at hearing this. Even though she'd known that Naruto and Sasuke were going out, Sakura had never been clear on the details of exactly how it happened.

"Okay, well, what exactly did you feel? I mean, what made you realize that Naruto was the 'one'?" Sakura asked.

Again, Sasuke stared at her suspiciously.

"Sakura, what's up? I'm not going any further until you explain exactly what's going on here and why you want to know all this." Sasuke said firmly. It didn't make any sense for Sakura to suddenly ask this out of the blue.

Sakura lowered her head so that her bangs covered up her eyes.

"I'm waiting." Sasuke said with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It's me and Ino. She's...in love with me." Sakura said in a low voice that Sasuke almost missed.

None the less, Sasuke allowed a look of utter shock to cross his face before his expressionless mask fell back into place. Had he heard right?

"Ino loves you?" Sasuke repeated.

Sakura nodded.

"As in _Ino Yamanaka_? The one in our graduating class? The same Ino who has hated you since as long as I can remember? **THAT **Ino is in love with you?"

Again, Sakura nodded.

"Okay then. In that case, I hope you realize why I'm a little skeptical. I mean, take a moment to think about all the horrible things you've said and done to each other. For example, there was the time she came at you with a pair of scissors and tried to cut all of your hair off. Then there was the time she attacked you with a baseball bat during a kickball game back at the academy. Now you're saying that same girl is in love with you? "

"I know it sounds crazy Sasuke, but she really is in love with me. I know this because she told me the other week at the park after we'd gotten done with training. And.."

"And what?" Sasuke pressed.

"Well, After she explained how I ended our friendship on the same day she was going to reveal her feelings to me, she kissed me to see whether or not I returned her feelings. When I didn't answer, she got pissed off at me and stormed off. I haven't spoken to or seen her since then."

Sasuke's eyes widened momentarily before he gave a nod of understanding.

"So you broke her heart on the same day she was going to ask you out...damn, no wonder she hates you then."

"I know. The reason I asked you what yu felt when kissed Naruto was because I wanted to see if I returned her feelings or not. Maybe what you felt when you kissed Naruto is the same thing I felt when she kissed me."

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair, letting the appendage stay there while he closed and contemplated whether or not to really tell Sakura about his feelings that day.

"Alright. When me and Naruto kissed that day, I felt a warm tingling sensation go throughout my entire body. It felt like time had stopped and me and Naruto were the only ones in the room. It only lasted for a few seconds, but I felt calm...complete. I played it off like I was disgusted, but I really wanted Naruto to kiss me again."

Sakura drew in a sharp breath as she listened to Sasuke reveal his feelings that day. It was just like what had happened when Ino had kissed her, thereby making final. For the longest moment, Sakura was silent, just staring off into space.

"Yo, Sakura? Are you still there?" Sasuke asked, snapping his fingers in front of Sakura's face to wake her up.

"I guess there's no mistaking now. Sasuke...I'm in love with her." Sakura finally said.

"Then go and tell her."

"I don't know how. Ino might still be mad at me."

"So. Naruto was still pissed at me when I revealed my feelings to him. But after I told him how I felt and why I avoided him all that time, we got together."

"But Ino isn't going to listen to me."

"She'll listen. If she really loves you, she'll listen. It was the exact same way with me and Naruto. Just get her to listen to you and tell her how you feel. No matter how mad she is, there's still a part of her that cares about you. Try and reach that part of her." Sasuke instructed as he stood up. "That's all I have to say."

Having said what was needed, Sasuke had just made it to the sliding-glass door before he stopped for a moment.

"Oh, and Sakura..."

Sakura turned to look at him.

"We never had this conversation."

"Right, forgetting."

* * *

Minutes later, Sakura now stood outside of Ino's front door, shaking with nervousness. She'd gone over what she wanted to say on the way over, and after going over it again and again, she'd finally built up enough courage not to turn the other way and go home. Now, she didn't feel so sure of herself. Despite knowing what she wanted to say, Sakura just couldn't bring herself to actually knock on Ino's front door. Whenever she'd attempt to, she'd start shaking and back out. She'd been standing there for almost ten minutes, and by now, it was getting late.

'_Come on Sakura! Stop wasting time and knock on her door already!' _Inner Sakura said from within Sakura's mind. '_The longer you get here, the longer it's gonna take. Now stop fucking around and tell Ino how you really feel! It's now or never!'_

Nodding to herself, Sakura took a deep breath and let it out very slowly to calm her nerves before finally building up enough courage and knocking on Ino's door 5 good times. Now all she had to do was wait. At first, nothing happened, but moments later, the door was pulled open to reveal Ino's father, Inoichi Yamanaka standing in the doorway wearing his pajamas.

"Sakura? What are you doing here at this hour?" Inoichi asked, surprised.

"Hello Mr. Yamanaka. I'm really sorry, but I need to talk to Ino for a moment." Sakura said politely. "Again, I'm really sorry for showing up so suddenly."

"It's no problem Sakura. You're always welcome here." Inoichi said cheerfully. "Ino's up in her room. She's been kind of down lately, so be careful. You know how she gets when she's upset."

"I know. This won't take long." Sakura replied before taking off her sandals and making her way up the steps.

Inoichi locked the front door and turned off the lamp near the door, plunging the entire living room into darkness before going upstairs himself. He then smiled warmly at Sakura before walking into his own room down the hall and closing the door.

Meanwhile, while standing outside of Ino's door, Sakura felt her nervousness come back full force. Her knees began to tremble and she began to become lightheaded. This was it, the moment that could possibly change both their lives forever.

'_This is it.' _Sakura said to herself nervously. _'Well, here goes nothing.'_

With shaking hands, Sakura knocked several times on Ino's door and waited for a response.

"It's open." Ino said from the other side of the door, causing Sakura to begin to sweat.

_'Alright, I've already come this far_. _It's too late to turn back now._'

With a gulp, Sakura gripped the doorknob, turned it, and slowly let it swing open.

Ino was laying barefoot upright in her bed, wearing a purple shirt that stopped just above her belly button and a pair of boxers. Her blonde hair, however, was still in its usual ponytail. Looking up from the manga she was reading and seeing who it was, Ino's calm expression turned into a deep frown.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Ino asked angrily.

"I need to talk to you about what happened at the park." Sakura said.

"And give me one good reason why I should listen to whatever the fuck you have to say."

"Because a part of you still cares about me."

Ino slightly flinched at hearing that. She wouldn't admit it, but Sakura had a point. No matter how hard she tried to kill her feelings for Sakura, a small part of her still held on.

With an frustrated sigh, Ino got up and placed her book back on the bookshelf on the other side of her room before returning to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Are you coming in or not." Ino said heatedly.

Sakura closed the door behind her as she walked in and sat beside her blonde-haired rival.

"Alright, I'm listening."

Instead, of explaining right away, Sakura dropped her head and allowed her bangs to cover her eyes again. She was too nervous and she'd forgotten what she'd wanted to say. Imagining herself talking to Ino was one thing, but talking to her in person was totally different. Worse, she could feel herself shaking again.

"Sakura, are you gonna tell me what yu have to say or what?" Ino asked a bit edgily.

For about the millionth time that day, Sakura took a deep breath.

"I...love you." Sakura said in a low voice, though Ino still manage to catch it. Hearing those words caused Ino's heart to skip a beat, but she was still a little weary.

"You do?" Ino asked skeptically.

"Yes. I've given it time to think about it, and I realize that I feel the same way towards you." Sakura verified.

What passed between them was a moment of tense silence. Sure, those were the words that Ino had always wanted to hear from Sakura, but...she couldn't forgive her. Even though a small part her was telling her to pull Sakura close, the larger part of her was telling her to reject Sakura. Against her own will, memories of that day returned to the surface and Ino found herself feeling that pain all over again. Of their own accord, Ino's eyes narrowed. Before she could actually say anything, however, Sakura had began to speak again. This time though, Sakura actually turned to look at Ino, allowing the blonde haired girl to see the tears that silently streamed down her face.

"I'd also like to say I'm sorry." Sakura said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"You have every right to be mad at me, even I have trouble forgiving myself. I ruined a day that was supposed to be special for you for my own selfish reason. I thought I was so in love with Sasuke, that I let it get the better of me and I ended up hurting you. You were the one who showed me how to actually be a girl. You were the one who showed me how to stand up for myself. Despite all that, despite being one of the best friends I've ever had, I just threw you away, first Naruto and then you. I'm sorry Ino! I never meant to hurt you like that! I'm so sorry!"

Unable to continue speaking, Sakura broke down into tears and began to sob loudly, making Ino glad for once that the walls of her room were thick. However, seeing Sakura break down like that wrenched at Ino's heart. She had planned to reject Sakura the same way Sakura had rejected her, but seeing Sakura experience almost the same pain as her didn't exactly as feel as satisfying as she thought it would. It reminded Ino of how she felt that day and she realized that nobody deserved to go through that, not even her worst enemy. Ino's anger began to dissipate and the softer side of her began to win over, and instead of wanting to reject Sakura, a new command entered her head: _comfort her._

Without even realizing it, Ino moved forward and pulled the crying, pink-haired girl into her chest and gently held her until she finally stopped crying. For the next 10 minutes, Ino simply held Sakura and a comfortable silence passed between the two. Finally, it occured to Sakura that she was pressed against Ino's boobs, causing her to blush slightly. She would've pulled away, but she didn't want to ruin the moment so she laid against them comfortably.

"Hey, Sakura?" Ino said questioningly.

"Hm?"

"Did you...really mean all of that?" Ino asked.

Instead of replying verbally, Sakura raised herself up from Ino's warm chest and nodded shyly. A lone tear slid down her cheek and made it down halfway before Ino wiped it away. She then moved her hand up and gently stroked the side of Sakura's face before slowly moving in. Knowing what was coming next, Sakura opened her mouth slightly before Ino's lips met hers in a gentle, passionate kiss. Without even having to be asked, Sakura opened her mouth and allowed Ino's tongue entrance. She moaned as she felt the strong appendage move within her mouth and couldn't help but move her tongue against it. The two kunoichi continued to kiss like this until they were finally forced to separate for precious air.

As they gazed into each other's while breathing heavily, Sakura finally became aware of the softness underneath her hands. Looking down, Sakura blushed redder than a lobster as she realized that her hands were still grasping Ino's breasts from when she'd pulled herself up. Ino, however, didn't mind in the least.

"It's alright." Ino reassured her, gently running her hand though Sakura's hair. "You can touch them if you want to."

With Ino's reassurance, Sakura's blush deepened as she gently groped and squeezed both of Ino's ample breasts through her shirt and bra. Both mounds of flesh felt softer than any pillow Sakura had ever felt and she noticed that the belly shirt Ino was wearing did little to contain them. As she gently felt Ino up, a question popped into Sakura's head that she just had to ask, despite how personal.

"Hey, Ino, if you don't mind my asking, what size are you?" Sakura asked a little bashfully.

Ino giggled and blushed slightly.

"I'm a DD Sakura." Ino replied happily. However, her smile quickly turned into a seductive smirk. "Do you wanna see them?"

As impossible as it seemed, Sakura's blush reddened even more and the wetness that had formed between her legs began to slightly drench her undergarments. Even still, she gave a quick nod.

After kissing Sakura on the cheek, Ino slipped her fingers underneath her belly shirt and easily lifted over head and flung it to the floor, revealing her DD Cups contained in a red lacy bra. Reaching behind her, Ino undid the clasp and allowed her bra to slip from her shoulders, fully exposing her large breasts. Seeing them made Sakura's breath hitch and her heart skip a few beats, for without the bra to hold them back, they looked even bigger than before! Unable to hold back her curiosity, Sakura reached out with shaky hands and grasped both of them, becoming amazed at their softness and the way Ino's nipples hardened. Enjoying the sensations from Sakura's touch, Ino poked her chest more, giving Sakura full access to her rack and she began to moan softly when Sakura would lift them before letting them drop again.

As she watched her Ino's breasts jiggle after letting them drop a few, Sakura decided to get bold. After firmly grabbing Ino's right tit, Sakura leaned in and took her partner's rosy nipple into her mouth. Ino let out a gasp as she watch Sakura suckle like a newborn infant. Welcoming this action, Ino pulled Sakura harder against her breast, letting Sakura suckle more before flicking her nipple with her tongue. Sakura would repeat this process again and again, flicking Ino's nipple with her tongue only to pull it into her mouth and begin suckling again, as though she were trying to get milk. After giving Ino's right tit enough attention, Sakura moved and gave the left one equal attention if not more. While Sakura suckled, Ino grabbed and massaged the unattended breast while firmly pressing Sakura to her other one, the position helping to arouse Ino further.

'_These are amazing! I had no idea Ino was this well-endowed.' _Sakura thought as she firmly suckled a little more.

As Sakura moved and began to lick her cleavage, Ino reached her hand underneath Sakura's body and gently cupped the pink haired girl's breasts through her red top. Gasping in surprise, Sakura quickly tore herself away from Ino's chest and blushed heavily.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to move too fast." Ino apologized.

"No, it's not that. I want to show them to you, but..." Sakura bit her lip before contemplating whether or not to say the rest. "...their small. Mine aren't as big as yours."

Hearing this made Ino's eye widen. Sakura was actually insecure about herself? Though for a small reason. Sakura was such a beautiful girl even without huge titties. Why couldn't she see that?

"Sakura, listen. You're beautiful just the way you are. You don't need to have big boobs to be attractive. Besides, their not small. Their the size most girls would prefer. Remember what I told back then: believe in yourself." Ino encouraged, causing Sakura to smile and look away bashfully again. "Besides, you don't have to show them if you don't want to. We can stop here."

"No! I want to continue." Sakura protested. "I fell comfortable letting you see them."

With Sakura's reassurance, Ino reached forward and slowly unzipped Sakura's red top, letting it fall from her shoulders and revealing her pink bra. Though, it was slightly too small since Sakura's breasts were slightly spilling out the side. Giving Sakura one last peck on the cheek, Ino reached behind Sakura and unclasped her bra before flinging it onto the floor, leaving Sakura's meduim size breasts bare. They were perfectly round and her pink nipples stood at attention. Licking her lips, Ino grabbed both of them and gently began to fondle her partner. She reveled in the way Sakura's tits filled her hands perfectly with just the right amount, not an ounce of skin overflowing.

"See, nice and firm." Ino said while giving them a hard squeeze, causing Sakura to moan and clench the bed sheets under her hands. "So Sakura, what size are _you_?"

Sakura blushed and rubbed the back her head.

"I'm a C." she said softly.

"That's a perfectly good size Sakura. There's nothing to be embarassed about." Ino encouraged as she rolled Sakura's nipples between her fingers before gently pinching them. Against her will, Sakura began to breathe heavily and let out a soft moan.

She'd never known her boobs were this sensitive. Every pinch and touch sent wave after wave of pleasure throughout her body. When Ino began to gently pull on them, Sakura couldn't take anymore teasing. Abruptly, she got up on her knees and moved closer to Ino, her breasts now level with the girl's face.

"Suck them." Sakura commanded, her voice thick with lust. "You can suck on them."

Not needing to be told twice, Ino licked her lips again before leaning forward suckling on Sakura's left tit while squeezing the other one. Every now and then, Ino would circle the hard peak with her tongue before bringing it into a hard suck. After giving Sakura's cleavage a quick lick, Ino moved to the other one and repeated her actions like on the left one. As she suckled, she felt her own boobs being played with and realized that Sakura's hands had taken on a mind of their own, squeezing her DD cups firmly. Of course, Ino wasn't complaining.

With the combined assault of having her tits being sucked and played with, while at the same feeling the softness of Ino's own boobs, Sakura's clit had begun to throb almost painfully with arousal. She wanted, no, **needed** Ino to touch her 'down there'. She knew what that would mean, but she didn't care. She wanted to experience this for all it was worth.

"Ino...I'm ready." Sakura breathed out after another moan.

Ino stopped sucking almost instantly and rose to look Sakura in the eye. Did Sakura really even realize what she'd just said? Was she really willing to take that final step?

"Are you sure? You really wanna go all the way?" Ino questioned.

Sakura nodded firmly.

"I'm positive Ino. I want it. Please, be my first."

"...Okay. Just know that we can stop whenever you want. All you have to do is say so."

Sakura smiled and moved to sit between Ino's legs before capturing her in another heated kiss. Their tongues immediately intertwined and began to battle for dominace. Sakura placed a hand behind Ino's head and pulled her closer, deeping the kiss and allowing their breasts to finally touch. Unable to keep her hands to herself, Ino reached down and firmly grabbed Sakura's ass, giving it a nice hard squeeze and earning her yet another moan from the pink haired girl. Sakura then broke the kiss and instead moved down and began to lick and kiss at the junction of Ino's neck and shoulders while once again fondling the larger female. After leaving a prominent red mark, Sakura had Ino lay back while she left a trail of kisses down to her breasts, sucking on one momentarily before kissing her way down to the hem line of Ino's boxers.

After receiving a reassurig nod from Ino, Sakura slipped her finger underneath the hem line and pulled them down Ino's legs before throwing them unto the floor. Now that those were out of the way, Sakura got her first full look at another naked girl. Ino had perfect curves, smooth skin, and a few bruises here and there from their fist fights in the past. Blushing, Sakura allowed her eyes to travel further south, down past Ino's flat tummy, until she was staring at Ino's womanhood. It was shaven and also glistening, showing Ino's arousal. She considered reaching out and touching it, but became too reluctant and instead allowed Ino to rise up again.

After sitting back up, Ino gave Sakura another quick peck on the lips before moving down and quickly removing Sakura's black shorts and drenched panties at the same time. After they were both completely nude, Ino took her hair out of its usual ponytail, letting it to cascade down her back before moving Sakura to the floor so that she was laying on her back on the soft carpet. Without needing to be told, Sakura tentatively spread her legs and allowed Ino access to her privates.

Upon actually getting a look at Sakura's vagina, Ino noticed that it was only half the size of her own and had a small tuft of pink hair just above it, proving that Sakura actually was a natural pink. Smirking, Ino reached a hand out and gently played with the tuft of hair before slowly slipping two fingers into Sakura's pussy, causing the girl to jump slightly at the intrusion. Instinctively, Sakura clenched her walls around the foreign digits and began to groan when she felt them move within her, stretching her in a scissoring motion. Succombing to the sensation, Sakura put her hands up, letting them rest on either side of her head, and allowed Ino to finger her. This was the first time she'd ever been touched this way, let alone by another woman, and she was enjoying every minute of it.

Unfortunately, the pleasure was momentarily halted when Ino removed her fingers from Sakura's vagina, though with difficulty since Sakura was clenching around her fingers so firmly. Raising her fingers to her face, Ino was happy to see that they were fully coated with Sakura's juices. Licking her lips for the millionth time, Ino slipped the wet appendages into her mouth and sucked them clean, savoring the slightly sour taste and getting her first taste of Sakura. By now, Ino's own vagina was practically begging for attention, though she would hold off her own pleasure in order to please her lover. After taking her fingers from her mouth, Ino looked back down at Sakura's juicy opening and wanted nothing more than to delve into it. Though she would only do so with Sakura's permission.

"Sakura, do you want me to stop now or would you like to continue?" Ino asked. She would stop if Sakura wanted her to, though she was also silently praying that Sakura would allow her to continue.

Instead of responding verbally, Sakura reached down and used two fingers to open her pussy, allowing Ino to stare directly into it. Having been given all the permission she needed, Ino leaned down to Sakura's open entrance and sniffed it a few times before letting her tongue enter for the first time. Sakura moaned loudly as Ino's tongue darted deep within her, lapping up her juices and all the while making Sakura wetter and wetter. Cupping both of Sakura's creamy thighs, Ino spread Sakura's legs as wide as they could possibly go, granting her full access as she ate Sakura's pussy, burying her entire mouth in it and making faint slurping sounds every now and then. The simple action succeeded in arousing Sakura so much that her juices had begun to overflow.

'_Sakura's flowing like a river! She's already this wet and she hasn't even reached her orgasm yet!' _Ino thought in amazement as she struggled to slurp up every drop of Sakura's sweet nectar.

Moaning uncontrollably, Sakura tangled her hands in Ino's hair and began to buck up against Ino's face, escalating her pleasure and causing the tension in her abdomen to become more intense. Feeling Ino brush against her clitoris, Sakura couldn't hold it back any longer. With a lust filled cry of Ino's name, Sakura finally had her first orgasm. Knowing what was coming, Ino covered Sakura's entire opening with her mouth, allowing the girl's juicies to jet down her throat. After swallwoing every last drop, Ino took her mouth off of Sakura's moist vagina and allowed the girl to catch her breath.

As Sakura began to come down from her afterglow, Ino moved up and captured Sakura in a kiss, allowing the pink-haired girl to taste herself on Ino's lips. Sakura wrapped her arms around Ino's shoulders and pulled the girl closer to her as her tongue lavished Ino's mouth, wanting to taste more of herself. Finally breaking apart, Sakura gazed lustfully into Ino's eyes.

"Ino, that felt like...the most incredible moment of my life." Sakura said as she caught her breath. "I didn't know it would feel _that _good."

Ino smirked again.

"I'll pleasure you anyway you want me to Sakura." she said after pecking Sakura on the lips. "Just tell me what you want and I'll do it."

Though Sakura didn't even have to think about what she wanted to do next.

"May I...taste you too, Ino?" Sakura asked softly with a slight blush.

"Of course love."

Ino gave Sakura one more peck on the lips before moving forward and positioning herself over Sakura's head. Overcome with excitement, Sakura opened her mouth eagerly as Ino lowered her wet pussy into her mouth, firmly sitting on Sakura's face. At that point, instinct took over and Sakura began to suck hard on Ino's pussy, using her tongue to get a better taste of her lover. That sinful tongue began to drive Ino wild as she began to moan excitedly and thrust her hips into Sakura's mouth. Wanting to please Ino further, Sakura placed her hands on either of Ino's hips, grasping the larger female's plump ass and thereby stilling her thrusting. Sakura closed her eyes and relished in the feel of not only Ino's sex, but also the softness of the round globes in her hands. Looking up, Sakura became captivated by Ino's tits as they bounced and jiggled every time the girl above her squirmed.

After letting her tongue have it's fun, Sakura latched onto Ino's clitoris and began to suck on the bundle of nerves firmly while teasing it with her tongue at the same time. By now, Ino was almost _screaming_ in pleasure, her skin becoming flushed with a light reddish tint. Finally, after a few more hard sucks, Ino reached her peak. Sakura braced herself as she felt Ino's juices gush into her mouth like a waterfall, quickly filling her mouth and forcing her to swallow or risk choking. Somehow though, Sakura managed to successfully swallow all of it.

After coming down from her high and catching her breath, Ino moved back over Sakura and offered her large tits to the girl, who gladly latched onto one while kneading the other one. Ino allowed Sakura to suckle as much she wanted before moving down in between Sakura's legs. Ino then began to trail a line of kisses down Sakura's leg, starting near her core and kissing and licking all the way to her foot, enjoying the taste of the salty, smooth skin. She then moved and did the same to the other one. After giving equal attention to both of Sakura's legs, Ino gently lifted one of Sakura's legs again and positioned herself so that her pussy was aligned with Sakura's. Looking up and recieving a confirming nod from Sakura, Ino closed the distance between their heated cores and both females let out a deep moan as their vaginas finally came into contact with each other. The sudden surge of pleasure caused Ino to stop for a moment after becoming slightly lightheaded. Despite the sudden stop in her actions, Ino still caught Sakura's next words.

"Ino-chan...love me. Make me yours." Sakura breathed out, aroused beyond what words could describe.

Overcome with determination to give her lover as much pleasure as possible, Ino began to vertically grind her clit against Sakura's, who also began to grind back against her partner, thus escalating their pleasure. Encouraged by Sakura's deep, sensual moans, Ino increased her tempo and started grinding harder against her lover's pussy. For Ino, this was like a dream come true. This was what she'd always imagined since discovering what love was: Sakura under her and writhing in mind blowing pleasure. As she looked into Sakura's eyes, the amount of lust and desire she saw almost made her cum right then and there. It filled her with satisfaction to know that _she _was the one pleasuring Sakura like this. _She _was the only one who could make Sakura feel this way, and it was _her _name that Sakura was moaning non-stop.

Sakura herself was in absolute bliss. She'd had no idea sex could feel like this. Sure she'd read about it and heard stories about it from the other girls at the Ninja Academy, but actually experiencing it was something out of this world! Not only that, seeing Ino's titties jiggle again was making her horny as hell, even more so than she already was. If Ino was actually capable of pleasing her like this, then she'd gladly let Ino take her as many times as she wanted, no questions asked.

Feeling their passion begin to peak again, both females moved with the other with all their love, trying to push the other to climax first. Wanting to feel more, Sakura pushed a finger between their "point of contact" and both girls nearly blacked out from the explosion of intense pleasure that washed over them, which was then made even stronger when Sakura began to wiggle her finger. Knowing that she was almost there, Ino held out both her hands as she continued to grind against the girl under her.

"Sakura, let's cum together this time, okay love?" Ino said passionately.

Sakura gave a nod and grasped both of Ino's hands, allowing the larger female to move faster against her. With a cry of each other's name, both females reached their orgasm at the same time, their juices mixing together and shooting into the other's slit. Being the first one to come down, Ino tore her pussy away from Sakura's and collapsed beside her panting lover. After Sakura had finished catching her breath, the two simply laid there, naked and staring up at the ceiling.

"Sakura, are you sure this is what you want? I mean, if you have regrets and want to pretend this never happened, I understand." Ino said.

For a moment, Sakura said was silent. A few moments later, she began to chuckle softly.

"Ino, I wouldn't have done this with you if I wasn't sure about it. I'll gladly spend the rest of my life with you." Sakura finally replied.

"Well, if you're sure. Although, I hope you're aware of the fact that people are going to talk about us now, right? And you're parents are going to have a cow when they find out! They might even disown you, being as homophobic as they are." Ino warned.

"Who gives a fuck? People can talk all they want. As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter what they think. And honestly, I don't care if my parents find out. If they disown me, then that's their loss. No matter what I have to go through from here on out, I'll gladly face it, so long as I'm with the one I love, even if that person happens to be another woman." Sakura said as she affectionately reached over and stroked the side of Ino's face, causing her to blush deeply.

Hearing the words that she'd always wanted to hear, Ino rubbed her face up against Sakura's hand and pulled the girl beneath her with almost no effort at all. With all the passion she could muster, Ino made love to Sakura again, and again...and again. After having fucked for almost 3 and half more hours, both females lay exhausted on the soft carpeted floor, covered in a mixture of sweat and each other's juices. After gathering enough of her strength, Ino picked Sakura up off the floor bridal style and carried her to the bed. To tired to move, Sakura allowed Ino to lay her in her bed and pull the covers over her. After tucking her in, Ino slipped under the covers herself and turned out the lamp on the nightstand beside her bed. Sakura then snuggled up into Ino's soft chest and fell asleep almost instantly.

Wrapping her arms around her rival-turned-lover, Ino kissed the top of her head and finally slipped into a peaceful sleep after so many restless nights since 'that day.'

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review. I'm really sorry it took this long to finally post a new chapter, but I finally got around to doing it. Anyway, this is the last chapter for the InoxSakura pairing. From here on out, it's back to Naruto and Sasuke. The NejixShikamaru pairing won't come along till after the Chunin Exams. Like I said in the above bold lettering, I deeply apologize if this sort of got off topic, but the focus will finally go back to our favorite pairing in the next chapter. I'd also like to apologize if the chapter is rather long. Originally, the lemon wasn't going to be till after the next chapter, but then I decided I wasn't going to have you guys wait that long, so I combined it just to get it out of the way. I thank you all for being patient and I really hope you all enjoyed it. If you didn't, feel free to tell me, but please go easy on the flames, okay?**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Before the story begins, I'd just like to say thank you to all the people who reviewed and I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. I honestly thought you guys wouldn't, but you proved me wrong. Thanks again for all of those that reviewed and enjoy the rest of the story. One more thing, if you guys actually wanna see a picture of Sakumo Hatake, here's how:**

**Go to Google , click on images, type in Sakumo Hatake, and click search. It's the first picture.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 37**

If there was one thing Sasuke Uchiha could appreciate, it was a long hot shower. As the streams of hot water rand down his body and hair, Sasuke couldn't help but sigh in response to the soothing feeling. It was the morning after Ino and Sakura's "make up" session, and Sasuke was currently taking a well needed shower after his own activites with Naruto that same night. If there was anyone who could run out his stamina, it was his kitsune. The blonde had him going for hours on end, effectively wearing both of them out by the time they were finally done. Hell, they were so exhausted, they didn't bother even getting under the covers. After being up for nearly the entire night, his body had become cramped once he'd finally woken up. Fortunately, the shower was fixing all that.

On the bright side though, Sasuke really didn't mind the sex. For the past few weeks, both he and Naruto had trained vigorously for the final round of the Chunin Exams with Kakashi, and also with Jiraiya who would show up from time to time and help train Naruto. The two would train for nearly the entire day, getting home by the time it was almost completely dark out. This cut into the time that Naruto and Sasuke used to spend with each other, resulting in the two coming to cherish every second they could spend together.

Anyway, after finally getting out of the shower, Sasuke dried himself off and slipped on his new set of clean clothes, which consisted of his usual white long-sleeved shirt which was open at the torso, but with a smaller version of the Uchiha crest on his collar, along with his pair of black pants with the blue cloth hanging from halfway up his stomach to his knees that was held in place by a purple rope tied into a bow. After sporting his clean clothes, Sasuke did the usual routine of brushing his hair and teeth before finally stepping out of the bathroom.

Upon walking into the living room, Sasuke stopped and raised an eyebrow when he saw Naruto sitting cross legged on his couch, wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants, with his eyes closed, his set of clean clothes beside him and neatly folded. He appeared to be completely calm with his arms folded in his lap, making it look as though he were holding his belly, and his long, golden hair glowed from the sunlight coming in from the sliding-glass door across from him, who's blinds were wide open. At first glance, one would believe Naruto to be sleeping, though in actuality, he was meditating. Walking up to the boy, Sasuke took a moment to congratulate the boy's perfect posture before slapping him across the head, waking him up instantly.

"OW! Sasuke, you insensitive motherfucker! Why you can't just shake me awake like everyone else you condescending asshole?" Naruto demanded while rubbing his sore head.

"I would shake you awake, but this way is a lot more fun. Secondly, what the hell were you doing anyway?" Sasuke asked with an impassive look. It was just so much fun to mess with Naruto this way, just to watch him over-react.

"I was practicing drawing in Nature Energy in my spare time to get the hang of Sage Mode, like Pervy Sage told me. At least, I was before _you_ interrupted me." Naruto explained angrily. Honestly, sometimes Sasuke could be such an annoying ass.

"Whatever. Anyway, the bathroom's open now, so go take care of your business." Sasuke instructed before turning to walk to the sliding screen door.

"Took your slow ass long enough." Naruto muttered as he stood and grabbed his clothes before beginning to make his way to the bathroom.

"I love you too usuratonkachi!" Sasuke hollered down the hallway.

"Kiss my ass!" Naruto hollered back before slamming the bathroom door.

Sasuke gave his usual smirk before walking over to the sliding-screen door and slipping outside onto the the terrace. Upon stepping outside, Sasuke stretched and breathed in a lungful of fresh air. It was a cloudless day and the sun was beaming full blast on the Earth below, forcing Sasuke to shield his eyes a little as he sat down on the stone bench in the middle of the terrace, enjoying the feel of the warm concrete beneath his bare feet.

For a while, Sasuke merely stared out at the village, watching everyone go about their busy day and enjoying the peacefulness while he still could. A moment later, Naruto joined him on the bench, wearing his usual black t-shirt and orange pants, and tying his hair into a long, shaggy ponytail as he sat down.

"What're you doing out here?" Naruto asked as he joined his boyfriend on the stone bench.

"Nothing. I just felt like sitting outside." Sasuke replied impassively while staring straight ahead.

Naruto shrugged and laid his head on Sasuke's shoulder as a moment of silence passed between them. Both seemed to get lost in their own little world.

"Hey, Naruto?" Sasuke said in a questioning tone, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"...What's it like being a jinchuriki?"

For a moment, Naruto didn't answer. No one had ever asked him that question before, and he'd never really thought about it until now.

"Well...it doesn't really feel all that much different from being normal, except...you can't help but feel like you stick out from everyone else since there's a demon inside of you. You often at times find yourself being secretive about everything because you don't want people to know. Once people find out, it's not much fun at all. You feel discriminated against and alienated, and you become lonely, cold, cruel, and cynical to almost everyone around you. Basically, it can feel like the entire world sees you differently. It's no wonder why some jinchuriki almost hate living. It feels like you're very existence is a curse that you can't escape from, and the glares people give you can sometimes be unbearable. The perks are okay, but most of the time, the negatives outweigh the downsides. Long story short, it's no fun at all." Naruto explained solemnly.

Sasuke nodded in understanding and pulled Naruto closer to him. For the next 10 minutes, the two simply sat there and basked in the closeness of the other.

"Come on, dobe. We have go meet Kakashi and Sakura at the training fields." Sasuke informed as he stood up, causing Naruto to groan.

"Do we have to?" Naruto complained.

"Yes, we do. Besides, we're supposed to be training with Squad 10 today anyway. Also on the plus side, this will be the perfect time to test out some of our new techniques." Sasuke replied with a confident smirk.

"Well can we at least stop and get some ramen on the way there?" Naruto asked as his stomach let out a loud growl.

Sasuke sighed. "Fine."

With a shout of glee, Naruto hopped up off the stone bench and followed Sasuke into the apartment where they put on their headbands and shinobi sandals before heading out the door.

* * *

After stopping at Ichiraku's and letting Naruto eat his fill of ramen (10 bowls), Sasuke and his blonde-haired lover finally arrived at the training fields, not surprised to see that all but Kakashi was already there.

"Naruto-kun! You're finally here!" Ino exclaimed as she ran over and captured Naruto in a hug. Just like all the times before, Naruto twirled her around, earning him a giggle from the blonde-haired girl before he set her back down.

Surprisingly though, Sakura didn't get mad like she usually did, which completely threw Naruto off. Instead, she simply smiled warmly.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, how come you're not getting mad? Naruto asked. "Usually you'd be biting Ino-chan's head off by now."

"Well, me and Ino finally worked out our differences. So we're cool now." Sakura replied while blushing slightly, which only deepened when Ino winked at her seductively.

Sasuke noticed this, but did not say anything. Instead, he settled for merely raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh, well that's good to hear. Maybe now you guys won't fight as often." Naruto said happily.

Not too far away from the reunion, Asuma, Choji, and Shikamaru watched the scene with mild interest from underneath the shade of a large oak tree.

"Well, it looks like Ino finally told Sakura how she felt. Glad to see it all worked out." Asuma said before taking a drag on his cigarette.

"Yeah, but how long is that going to last? You're forgetting that Ino has a short fuse. When she gets pissed, she becomes an even bigger pain in the ass than even my mom." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Oh c'mon Shikamaru, don't be so negative. I think Ino and Sakura can really pull it off." Choji said before stuffing another handful of barbecue-flavored chips into his mouth and swallowing them whole.

"Whatever. It's all just a drag if you ask me." Shikamaru said lazily from his spot on one of the thick tree branches. He then looked up at the sky and began to cloud gaze, something he enjoyed doing in his spare time since he was a small child.

20 minutes after Naruto and Sasuke arrived, Kakashi decided to finally show up in a swirl of leaves.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. I had to to teach tone-deaf orphans how to sing and-"

"**LIAR!**" both Naruto and Sakura exclaimed angrily while shaking a fist, cutting Kakashi off in midsentence.

The silver-haired Jonin sweat-dropped and put his hands up in defense as he was bombarded by his subordinates. He'd been at the Memorial Stone, visiting the grave of his former teammates like he always did when he'd lost track of time..._again_.

'_Heh, vintage Kakashi.' _Asuma thought with a smirk. '_He shows up late and then makes up some ridiculous excuse that nobody would believe in a million years. (chuckles). It never gets old.'_

"Okay, okay. I apologize for being late." Kakashi said in mock surrender as Naruto and Sakura continued to shout furiously at him.

"You _should _be sorry! Don't you know it's not polite to keep a lady waiting, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked angrily with her hands on her hips.

"Yeah! You oughta be ashamed of yourself, having us wait this long!" Naruto agreed.

"You're right, sensei is sorry. I'm here now, so we can finally get started, okay?." Kakashi said with a cheerful smile, evidenced by his visible eye curling up.

Naruto and Sakura frowned, but begrudgedly agreed to begin training for the day. After Naruto and Sakura had calmed down a bit, Kakashi called Asuma, Shikamaru, and Choji over and began to explain how the day's training would work.

* * *

As it turned out, that day's training would be a two on two match: Naruto and Sasuke vs Shikamaru and Choji. At first, Choji wasn't really all that thrilled about goin up against the #1 Rookie of his class, or against the _Rinnegan_ for that matter. Fortunately though, Asuma promised to treat Choji to all-you-can-eat barbecue at their favorite restaurant if he at least gave it his best shot. Of course, with the promise of food, Choji spontaneously gained newfound confidence and charged into battle before Kakashi could even say "you may begin when ready". As for Shikamaru...well...he didn't really care who he had to fight. He just wanted to get it over with so he could go home and take a nice nap.

Both teams gave it their best, but in the end, Shikamaru and Choji took the victory. Although, Naruto and Sasuke had actually managed to work in perfect synchronization with each other for once, following up each other's moves and coming in to help when needed. In fact, neither Naruto nor Sasuke used the _Lightning Release Armor _or the _Rinnegan_, just to keep it fair. However, despite their outstanding teamwork, all it took was one slip up for them to get caught in Shikamaru's _Shadow Possession Jutsu_. With the opposing team trapped, Choji then used his _Human Boulder Technique, _thereby delivering the final blow that flattened both Naruto and Sasuke into the ground. Thankfully, neither one was seriously injured in any way.

Of course, Naruto and Sasuke had their usual arguement, blaming the other for their own screw ups. Or rather, Naruto mostly did the arguing. Sasuke, on the other hand, just stood there looking bored and putting his two cents in every now and then. Arguing with Naruto was the least favorite part of his day.

* * *

The sun was at least halfway below the horizon by the time Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Choji had gotten done with their sparring match. Both teams panted in exhaustion as they sat on a nearby hill under a tall tree with the other members of their team, allowing Sakura to tend to their minor injuries.

"Good job, all 4 of you." Kakashi congratulated while smiling with his eye. "You all did wonderfully."

"Well if Sasuke hadn't of slipped on his end, our team could've actually won!" Naruto commented.

"Me? You're the one who fucked up. That last technique was a complete joke and you know it. Learn how to use your jutsu more properly before you try and get in my ass about something." Sasuke argued back with a slightly edgy tone.

"Don't take that tone with me!" Naruto shot back. "If you hadn't gotten in the way with your damn _Chidori_, maybe my attack would've hit its mark. But no, you had to come and try and save the day like the macho asshole you are! You're also a dick, and lousy teammate!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his blonde-haired boyfriend, who only growled low in his throat as a show of opposition, sounding just like a dog.

"Both you of take it easy." Kakashi said, sensing the tension begin to rise between the two. Kakashi had hoped that with the two being a couple, they would fight less often. So much for that. If anything, they were fighting even more.

"Listen, both of you did your part well. This whole excercise wasn't even about winning in the first place. The whole point was to improve your teamwork and become stronger along the way. You two did just that. In fact, you two worked even better than you did during the bell test I gave you before the Chunin Exams even started. That's all that really matters here, not winning or losing. Now, both of you aplogize to each other."

Begrudgedly, Naruto and Sasuke turned to look each other in the eye.

"Hn." Sasuke said before sharply looking straight ahead.

"Whatever, bastard." Naruto said, muttering the last part under his breath.

Exasperated, Kakashi slapped a hand to his face, earning him a chuckle from Asuma, who was reclining up against the tree with his arms crossed over his chest.

'_Sometimes I wonder why I even bother with these two.' _Kakashi thought to himself as he looked at his two hot-headed students. At least Sakura seemed to be the most cool-headed one among the three of them. Kakashi considered that a blessing. In his eyes, it was one less headche to deal with.

"Asuma-sensei, can we get that barbecue now? I'm starving." Choji said while rubbing his belly, which had begun to growl loudly.

Asuma chuckled again.

"Sounds good to me Choji. C'mon everyone, time for some well deserved grub."

"Yes! Last one there has to pay!" Choji exclaimed happily as he took off running with amazing speed despite his weight, leaving the rest of his team in his dust.

"Well, at least something motivates him." Ino said with a sweat drop.

* * *

After getting Naruto and Sasuke to finally apologize and make-up, Kakashi allowed his team to leave the training grounds. Afterwards, he'd immediately disappeared in a puff of smoke. He had a date with Iruka tonight and training had gone on longer than he had anticipated, making him 15 minutes late to pick up his beloved Ninja Academy instructor. Iruka was sure to chastise him for that, which he did when the silver-haired Jonin finally arrived.

Meanwhile, after escorting Sakura to Ino's house, Naruto and Sasuke were now wandering through the village on their way back to their own home. Halfway there though, Naruto couldn't hold back the question that had been nagging him since they had gotten done at the training field.

"Hey Sasuke, what's going on between Sakura-chan and Ino-chan?" Naruto asked. "I'm still surprised that Sakura-chan didn't get mad when Ino-chan hugged me."

Sasuke gave Naruto a sideways glance and kept walking instead of answering right away. He was deciding on whether or not he should actually tell his blonde kitsune about Ino and Sakura's relationship, as there was no telling how Naruto would take it. Though, there was actually nothing to lose, so...

"Sakura and Ino are going out now, Naruto" Sasuke said after a moment.

Just as he'd figured, Naruto stopped walking and his jaw nearly hit the ground. Time to seemed to freeze as Naruto let the information slowly sink in. Giving Naruto a weird look, Sasuke waved his hand in front of his boyfriend's face, though the blonde didn't so much as even blink.

"...Naruto? You okay?" Sasuke asked.

"Sakura-chan and Ino-chan are _dating_?" How is that even possible? They fight more than we do!" Naruto finally said in disbelief, causing Sasuke to jerk his hand away.

"Yes, they are. I know it seems crazy to believe, but Ino has apparently felt an attraction toward Sakura for sometime now. It turns out, Sakura ended their friendship on the same day Ino was going to reveal how she felt, thus starting their feud. A few weeks ago at the park, Sakura asked Ino why she hated her so much, Ino finally told her, Sakura realized she felt the same way a few weeks later, and the two had sex that same night." Sasuke explained nonchalantly.

"Say what? Sakura-chan and Ino-chan actually..." Naruto let his voice trail off as he pictured Sakura and Ino making love. "But...how do you know all of this?"

"Because Sakura called me this morning before I got in the shower. You were deep in concentration, so you didn't hear it."

With nothing else to say, Sasuke turned and continued walking home. Shaking his head, Naruto ran to cath up with his stoic lover.

"But I still don't get how Sakura-chan is going to tell her parents about this. I mean, her parents don't exactly take too kind to same sex relationships."

"Actually, Sakura's parents don't know about their daughter's relationship and Sakura plans to keep it that way. They aren't ready to know just yet, so don't tell anyone. Honestly, I wasn't even supposed to tell you, so keep it yourself." Sasuke revealed while staring straight ahead with that impassive expression.

"Oh." was all Naruto could say.

For the rest of the way, the two remained silent. Neither really had anything else to say, so they just kept quiet. Every now and then, Sasuke would see some of the villagers glaring at Naruto. Naruto himself, however, was too lost in thought to even notice them. If he did notice them, he wasn't showing it, probably because he was used to it by now. Being the protective dominant that he was, Sasuke scared off anyone who glared at Naruto with a glare of his own. Nobody dared to actually attack the blonde for fear of getting their ass kicked by Sasuke. So long as the "_demon vessel_" was with the Uchiha, they would leave him be and simply glare at him when the chance presented itself. Other's, however, simply ignored the blonde and hoped that he'd just go away some day and never return.

As they reached the apartment building, Sasuke suddenly realized something: they still had plenty of time left. The sun was still only halfway below the horizon and they nothing better to do. So, why not make it worth while.

"Hey, Naruto?"

Naruto stopped walking and looked up at Sasuke.

"Since there's still plenty of time left, do you wanna go on a date?"

Naruto's eyes lit up eagerly at the offer and he quickly nodded. It had been a while since the two had really had time for themselves and now was a perfect opportunity.

"Sure, that sounds great!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "In fact, I know the perfect place we can go!"

* * *

It only took one try to guess where Naruto wanted to go for their date. Yep, good ol' Inchiraku Ramen. Fortunately for Naruto, Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, was having an all-you-can eat special for _Customer Appreciation Day_. For Naruto, it was like one of his prayers had been answered. Hell, even Sasuke was happy since he didn't have to pay! Upon sitting down at the bar and being given their first bowls, the boys went to town.

Naruto scarfed down bowl after bowl without pause, even the other people that were there stopped to look at the _Ramen-Eating Machine_. It seemed as though Naruto's stomach literally had no end, as he had already wolfed down 15 bowls in only 10 minutes. For Naruto, ramen was his bread and water. No matter how much of it he ate, he just couldn't get enough! By the time he was finished, Naruto had 3 stacked rows of empty ramen bowls. While Sasuke, on the other hand, had only eaten 10 bowls. He didn't live on ramen like his boyfriend did.

"That was excellent! I'm about ready to pop!" Naruto said after he and Sasuke had left Ichiraku.

"I'm just glad I didn't have to pay for it." Sasuke said. "By the way, how do you eat so much ramen anyway? It's not natural."

"Heh, what can I say, it's all I eat. Though it's probably because of the Nine Tailed Fox, considering it has a real monstrous appetite." Naruto replied. "Luckily, it burns off any fat I gain, so I can eat as much as I want and not gain weight. Otherwise, I'd be the size of Choji by now. I guess you could say it's one of the perks of being a jinchuriki."

"Hn. Anyway, are you ready to go home now?" Sasuke asked.

"Not yet. There's still one more place I want to go." Naruto said.

Sasuke raised an eyeborw.

"Where?" he asked.

"You'll see." Naruto replied as he grabbed Sasuke by the wrist and took off.

* * *

Half and hour later, Sasuke was sitting beside Naruto from ontop of the Hokage Monument, or to be more specific, from ontop of the 4th Hokage's head. The Hokage Monument is a huge mountain located in Konohagakure and is the village's most distinguishing feature. What's so special about it is that it has the faces of all of Konoha's previous Hokage carved into it. The faces include Hashirama Senju (First Hokage), Tobirama Senju (Second Hokage), Hiruzen Sarutobi (Third Hokage), and Minato Namikaze (4th Hokage and Naruto's father). The monument towered directly above the Hokage mansion and the rest of the entire village. While ontop of it, one could literally see for miles and it offered a beautiful view of the sunset, which Sasuke and Naruto were currently enjoying.

"It's nice up here." Sasuke commented after he'd pulled Naruto into his lap.

"I know. Breath-taking isn't it? I used to always come up here whenever I wanted to be alone. It was the only other place I could go if I wanted some time to myself, but didn't feel like going home. I don't know why, but the sunset always used to calm me down for some reason and this place is the perfect spot. Plus, it's really quiet up here." Naruto said.

Even though he wouldn't admit it outright, Sasuke decided to himself that he would come here a lot more often. The view and the serenity of the place was unlike anything he'd ever seen. It was the perfect place to clear his mind. Without even realizing it, Sasuke had pulled Naruto tighter against his chest, causing Naruto to begin to softly purr at the warmness that surrounded him.

For what seemed like hours, Naruto laid there enjoying the view from within Sasuke's embrace and purring happily.

* * *

"So, Sasuke, is there any place _you'd _like to go?" Naruto asked.

It was a few minutes after Naruto and Sasuke had climbed down from the Hokage Monument and the two were again making their way aimlessly through town. It still wasn't really that dark yet and they still had time for at least one more place to go. Naruto was fresh out of ideas, and so far, they'd only gone to the places Naruto had wanted to visit. So the blonde figured he'd ask Sasuke where their next stop would be.

Though to be honest, Sasuke really couldn't think of anywhere to go either. All sorts of location flashed through his mind almost all at once until he finally decided that there was at least _one _special place he wanted to go. He hadn't been there since _that _night, but he wanted to show it to Naruto. After all, Naruto had shown Sasuke his special, so Sasuke figured he should do the same.

"...I know a place we can go. Follow me." Sasuke replied before grabbing Naruto by the hand and leading him the direction of the Uchiha Compound.

* * *

Minutes later, Naruto was walking with Sasuke through what looked like a ghost town. All of the houses and shops were either completely rundown or boarded up. The windows were cracked and covered with a thick layer of dust and the paint had all but completely peeled off. Long story short, the entire complex was beyond dead. What really got to Naruto was the deafening silence. The only sounds were made by the wind and the sound of Naruto and Sasuke's sandals as they walked. Slightly creeped out, Naruto moved closer beside Sasuke.

"What _is _this place? It's completely deserted." Naruto said as he followed closely behind Sasuke, not wanting to let the Uchiha out of his sight.

"This is the Uchiha Compound, Naruto. This is where I used to live when I was a kid." Sasuke informed him.

After they had continued walking a little more, Sasuke pointed to what looked like a mansion. It was twice the size of any of the other buildings in the compound, though the windows and doorway were all boarded-up, preventing anyone from going inside. Most of the paint had peeled off, some of the wood had rotted and turned a nasty brown color, and some of the boards hung loose, showing dark, dusty windows. Even though it wasn't completely dark out, the house still looked creepy, and one would believe it to be haunted at first glance.

"That house there...is my old house." Sauske told Naruto. "My father was the head of the clan, and therefore had the largest home."

"I'll say! Look at it, it's huge!" Naruto exclaimed. "Didn't you ever get lost?"

"...Maybe once or twice when I was little." Sasuke admitted. "Though I was eventually able to find my way around after a while. By the way, this is only the first thing I wanted to show you."

"There's more?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, this way." was all Sasuke said before continuing on.

After showing Naruto his old house, Sasuke led Naruto into the woods in the backyard of his old home. There, they followed a path into a clearing dotted here and there with bullseye targets, inlcuding one that was hidden behind a large boulder.

"What's this place?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke took a moment before answering. Memories of his childhood flashed through his mind all at once. Or more specifically, memories of..._him_. Feeling that familiar anger start to resurface, Sasuke clenched his fists.

"This, Naruto, is where Itachi and I used to train before I met you and Sakura at the Ninja Academy." Sasuke said, spitting out his brother's name as though it were the most disgusting word in existance.

"Itachi? Oh, you're older brother!" Naruto replied enthusiastically as realization hit him. Though he immediately piped down when he remembered that Itachi wasn't exactly a pleasant memory for Sasuke. "So then...I take it that was before he went rogue."

Sasuke nodded.

"Itachi was praised by all as the best mind of his generation. He graduated from the Ninja Academy after only one year at the age of 7, and at the top of his class at that. Then he mastered the Sharingan at age 8, became a Chunin at age 10, and became an ANBU captain at age 13. The entire clan praised him and he was next in line as the Uchiha Clan leader. I spent my childhood in his shadow. All my life, peopel expected so much out me. They expected me to one day fill my brother's shoes. So that's what I aimed for. He was the one person in life I ever looked up to." Ssuake explained.

"But I still don't understand. If all that is true, then why did he kill everyone? Didn't he show signs that something was wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, he did. He began to act hostile to the other clan members, he stopped attending clan meetings, and he actually began to speak out against the clan. There had even been a rumor that Itachi had something to do with the death of Shisui Uchiha, his closest friend. That rumor turned out to be true. Itachi drowned Shisui in the Nakano River and staged the murder as a suicide by forging a fake suicide note in Shisui's handwriting by using the Sharingan. I later found out that the Uchiha Clan had grown weary of Itachi's behavior as well, and had sent Shisui to spy on him. When that happened, everyone knew something was up with Itachi and they turned on him, even father deemed Itachi as a lost cause. As far as anyone knows, Itachi turned against his own flesh and blood because he wanted to prove how strong he was. And what better way than by killing his entire family, an elite ninja clan. Something in his head went horribly wrong, and he snapped. That's how I look at it."

A moment of silence passed between them before Sasuke began to speak again.

"That night is the reason this place is so special to me. It's a reminder of what I must do, a reminder of why I exist. I'm an avenger, Naruto. I have to avenge my clan and make that bastard pay for what he did. Hatred is the only other thing that connects me to him other than my blood. It's only a matter of time before I meet him again. And when that day comes, I want to be ready."

Another moment of silence passed before Sasuke let out a sigh.

"C'mon Naruto. Let's go home." Sasuke said before turning and walking back down the path.

Without needing to be told twice, Naruto quickly hurried behind Sasuke, not wanting to be left behind by himself.

* * *

At Naruto's request, the pair decided to take the long way home and enjoy more of their time together. So, by the time, they finally did return home, it had gotten kind of late and both were exhausted from walking.

"Ahhh, that was the best date ever!" Naruto said as he laid across his bed, his legs dangling over the side. "We should go on dates more often!"

"Yeah, if we ever have more time." Sasuke said after he'd slipped on the sweat pants he usually wore to bed. "Now move dobe, you're hogging the bed."

Naruto stuck his tongue out, but made room for Sasuke anyway. As he was about to slip into the covers beside his blonde significant other, Sasuke was stopped in mid action by Naruto's next question.

"Hey Sasuke, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what exactly does Itachi look like?" Naruto asked a little hesitantly. He didn't really want to ask since he knew Itachi was a sensitive subject for Sasuke, but he simply had to know.

Instead of getting mad like Naruto had anticipated, Sasuke stared at him for a moment before turning and picking up his discarded black pants. After fishing around in the pockets for a minute, Sasuke finally pulled out what he was looking for and handed the object to Naruto. The blonde-haired jinchuriki looked at it for a minute before finally taking it from Sasuke's hand an examining it.

It was a family portrait of Sasuke and his immediate family. On the left was a tall man with short, brown hair and onyx eyes. There were also creases under his eyes, which more prononced since he had a stern, serious look with his arms crossed over his chest. His attire consisted of a simple black robe with gray pants. To the right of the man was one of the most beautiful women Sasuke had ever seen. She had long hair with a slight bluish tint to it. Her eyes were onyx, like her husbands, though they had a warm look to them. The woman was basically what Sasuke would like if he had of been born a girl. To the right of her was Sasuke when he was 7 years old. His eyes were much more vibrant back then and he was grinning from ear to ear.

Despite the innocent family portrait, the boy on the far right was the one whom interested him the most. The boy's hair was the same length and color as his mother's, though it was tied up with the hair tie stopping directly below his head. His hair itself dropped down to frame both sides of his face. He looked to be around 17 and he had the same pitch-black eyes as everyone else in the picture, though his face betrayed no emotion. His most distinguishing features were the pronounce creases under his eyes, making him appear much older than he actually was. Even still, the resemblance to Sasuke was still obvious.

"I'm gonna take a guess and say the boy on the far right is Itachi." Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded instead of replying verbally.

"You probably used to get this a lot, but you and him look almost exactly alike." Naruto pointed out.

"Yes, I know. And I hate it when people say that. Me and _him_ may look alike, but we're far different, _very _different." Sasuke replied bitterly.

Seeing that Sasuke was getting agitated, Naruto decided to change the subject.

"Is that your dad? He looks so serious." Naruto commented.

"Actually, that's his normal facial expression. He rarely ever smiled back then, not even for a picture. He only used to smile at Itachi though." Sasuke said with a little resentment. '_Father always did like him better_ anyway.'

"And your mom looks prettier than _my _mom did! And I can see where you got your looks from too!" Naruto pointed out also. "She kind of looks like a feminine you."

Sasuke blushed slightly at that one and quickly took the picture from Naruto. He then laid it on the dresser and climbed into bed beside Naruto before turning out the lamp on the nightstand.

"Go to sleep Naruto."

Naruto shrugged and laid down with Sasuke pressed up against his back. For the next few minutes, the two simply laid there against each other in a comfortable silence until...

"Hey Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"What is now, Naruto?" Sasuke replied, a bit agitated. He really just wanted to sleep now.

"Pervy Sage told me that he knew both of our mothers when they were alive."

"...So."

"And he told me that they were pregnant with us at the same time, except my mom had a later due date! Not only that, our moms were friends too! Then, years later, we became friends! Isn't that great?"

A moment of deafening silence.

"...Just shut-up and go to sleep Naruto."

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review. Also, I'd like to say thank you to NaKita since she gave me the idea for this chapter. Otherwise, it would've been a lot shorter. Peace out and stay tuned for the next chapter. The month long break is about over and the final round of the Chunin Exams should start in the next chapter if not the one after.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Just to let you guys know, I had no idea how to start this chapter, and so the beginning is just something I thought of off the top of my head. I hope you all like it. If not, let me know.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 38**

_Sasuke let out a long sigh as he walked through the door of his apartment. He had been away all day on a mission to Kirigakure and he was beyond exhausted. So exhausted in fact, that his body had given out and the only thing pushing him on was the thought of seeing his beloved Naruto when he returned home. By the time he'd actually gotten back, it was well into the night and the house was darker than a cave, as was expected considering how late it was. Though, what struck Sasuke as odd was that Naruto hadn't come to greet him. Even if the dobe was asleep, his overly-sensitive hearing would've alerted him to Sasuke's arrival. Besides, this wasn't the first time Sasuke had gotten home this late, and the blonde would always jump out of bed and tackle him in a hug. This time, however, that didn't happen and it appeared as though there were no life in the house. Nothing moved and the only sound was Sasuke's breathing._

_"Naruto! I'm home!" Sasuke called out into the darkness. _

_However, his answer was a deafening silence, which only continued to get louder the longer he stood there. Something was definitely off here, and it was making Sasuke feel **very **uneasy._

_"Naruto, you there?" Sasuke called out again. _

_Still no answer._

_However, a moment later, Sasuke jumped slightly as he heard a loud 'THUMP' come from down the hall. It sounded like a body hitting the floor. Sasuke swallowed as he felt the adrenaline begin to surge through his body. Taking a deep breathe, Sasuke walked forward and clicked on the lamp in the living room. However, he immediately wished he hadn't._

_Blood was splattered on the walls, there were numerous slash marks on both sofas, the television was smashed to pieces, and the screen door was wide open. The door itself was nearly ripped off its hinges, and the door frame had numerous scratch marks around it from where someone had tried to get out. In all, it was the scene of a struggle. On the wall, written in blood, were the words: YOU COULDN'T SAVE HIM._

_Sasuke's eyes widened as he read the message and saw the trail of blood leading down the hall. _

_"No...please, no! Naruto!" With his heart beating frantically, Sasuke raced down the hall, following the trail of blood and calling his lover's name. By now, Sasuke's breathing had become erratic and he was now officially in panic mode, which was only made worse when he stopped and saw where the trail of blood ended._

_Right in front of Naruto's bedroom._

_Another loud 'THUMP' caused Sasuke to jump again. Putting his ear to the door, Sasuke could hear someone crying on the other side, though it was muffled. Then there was another loud 'THUMP' before Sasuke heard a muffled and choked scream of agony. Even still, Sasuke recognized the voice as Naruto._

_Without another thought, Sasuke twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. The scene in front of him was almost as bad as the memory of seeing his dead parents._

_Naruto lay on the floor in his boxers, bound by his arms and ankles and soaked in his own blood from head-to-toe. His blonde hair was loose from its ponytail and dotted with large red splotches of blood. There were numerous cuts on his body, his mouth was gagged with a cloth, and his right eye was purple and swollen shut. _

_Sasuke just stood there, frozen to the spot from both utter shock and horror. Now visibly trembling, Sasuke looked up at the dark figure towering above Naruto's broken body._

_A moment of silence passed between them._

_"It's been a long time...Sasuke." the figure said in a cool, emotionless voice, a voice that Sasuke recognized instantly._

_The figure then turned around fully, revealing the Sharingan and the blood-stained sword its hand. As the moon came out from behind a large cloud, a ray of light shone through the open window, illuminating the figure's face._

_"I...Itachi." Sasuke choked out, his eyes wide in disbelief._

_Smirking, Itachi reached back and drug Naruto in between him and Sasuke. Whimpering, Naruto looked up at Sasuke with his one good eye and pleaded with the younger Uchiha, silently begging to be rescued._

_Looking into Naruto's bloody face, Sasuke tried to make a move toward him, but his legs would not respond. It were as though his entire body had suddenly become paralyzed._

_"You want to save him, don't you Sasuke?" Itachi asked coldly._

_Sasuke didn't answer. His body simply would not respond._

_"Hn. He put up quite a fight, I'll admit. I can see why you indulge him, he is strong." Itachi continued as he pulled back roughly on Naruto's hair, causing the blonde to cry out._

_"He cried out for you the entire time, wanting you to come and save him from his suffering. Unfortunately, you never came. Even now, you still cannot save him. And do you know why, little brother?"_

_Still, Sasuke didn't respond. He remained frozen to the spot._

_"It's because you are too weak, Sasuke." Itachi said, eerily calmly. "Do you know why you are weak? It's because you...don't...have...enough...HATE. And you know something, little brother? You never will."_

_With a cold glare, Itachi forced Naruto forward with a shove to the back of his head and reared back his sword._

_"Itachi, please, don't do it! Please Itachi!" Sasuke pleaded, finally finding his voice and sinking to his knees helplessly. "Stop it!"_

_Unfortunately, Sasuke's words didn't get through, and he could do nothing but watch helplessly as Itachi swung the sword and disconnected Naruto's head from his shoulders. The blonde's head rolled across the floor, stopping directly at Sasuke's knees. Naruto's one blue eye was still wide open in surprise as he looked up lifelessly at Sasuke, still silently begging for his life. Sasuke's mouth hung open and tears streamed down his face._

_"Hn, watching a loved die right in front of you. Dejavu, eh Sasuke?" Itachi taunted before chuckling darkly._

_Sasuke covered his ears to drown out the sound of Itachi's evil laughter, but the sound still got through anyway. The evil laughter bounced around the inside of his head, echoing and seeming to grow louder and louder until... _

* * *

With a scream, Sasuke woke up and bolted upright in bed, panting and drenched in his own sweat. Instantly, he was blinded by sunlight that now flooded the entire room, causing him to cover his eyes. After his eyes had stopped hurting from the sudden bright light, Sasuke opened them again and let them adjust to the brightness. After he'd given himself time to wake up, Sasuke finally became aware that the spot beside him was empty, the spot having already gotten cold. Apparently, Naruto was already up.

Groaning, Sasuke stretched and lazily lowered his feet to the floor, already dreading the day ahead.

It was now the last week of the month long break, or to be more specific, the day before the final round of the Chunin Exams. Ever since their loss to Shikamaru and Choji a number of weeks prior, both Naruto and Sasuke had resolved to pushing themselves to their limits, training relentlessly to get as strong as they could for their upcoming matches. It had been tiring work, and neither could wait until these exams were finally over.

After doing his usual morning routine, Sasuke slipped on a clean outfit and emerged from the bathroom. Upon entering the living room, Sasuke was surprised to see Naruto sitting on the couch putting a new coat of sky-blue nailpolish on his finger and toenails. '_Keep on Moving__', _by Soul II Soul, was playing softly on the stereo system. Looking up after finishing his toenails, Naruto noticed Sasuke and gave the Uchiha a warm smile.

"Good morning emo." Naruto said as he screwed the cap back on the nailpolish. "Glad to see you're up."

Sasuke glared at Naruto, and was about to make a really smartass remark that was sure to piss Naruto off, when his dream suddenly came flooding back. Upon landing his eyes on Naruto, the image of Itachi chopping Naruto's head off flashed before his eyes. For a brief moment, a look of pure horror crossed Sasuke's face before being replaced by the usual passive expression.

"Hn." was Sasuke's only reply before he walked through the sliding screen door, leaving Naruto sitting on the couch and blinking in confusion.

Upon stepping outside, Sasuke sat on the stone bench and put his head in his hands. All of this, these nightmares, were just so damn frustrating. Originally, Sasuke had hoped that they would just eventually stop on their own. However, that was wishful thinking. Sasuke knew that the nightmares would never end...not until _that _bastard was dead. Only with Itachi's death would things be right again.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Sasuke didn't notice when Naruto came and sat down beside him, causing Sasuke to jump slightly.

"Alright, what's up with you?" Naruto asked. "I called you an emo, and you just let it slide? Not likely. And if you say nothing is wrong, I swear I'm gonna kick your ass."

Sasuke said nothing and instead opted for staring straight ahead, his face completely expressionless as always.

"Well?" Naruto demanded impatiently.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I had a nightmare that Itachi had broken into our house while I was away, and killed you. He cut off your head right in front of me...and I could do nothing about it." Sasuke finally revealed, opening his eyes.

A moment of tense silence passed between them...

"So that's it?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke was halfway through a nod before the realization of what Naruto had just said dawned on him. He whipped is head in Naruto's direction with a look of genuine surprise.

"How can you sound so casual?" Sasuke asked. "I just had a dream about my older brother decapitating you, and you're okay with it?"

"I didn't say I was okay with it, but just look at the reality of the subject. For one, Itachi doesn't know where I live. Secondly, he doesn't know about _us_, meaning he'd have no reason to kill me. And finally, there's no way he could even get inside the village without being noticed. He's bound to be discovered before he gets within two feet of my apartment. Plus, with all the training you've done, you could easily kick his ass. So there's nothing to worry about." Naruto reassured as he placed a hand on Sasuke's back. "It was all just a bad dream. That's all."

Sasuke stopped and actually thought about it for a moment. Naruto actually had some very good points. As far as he knew, Itachi had no way of knowing where Naruto lived, nor did he have any way of knowing that his little brother was with anyone. Itachi was sure to kill anyone who became close to Sasuke, just to torture Sasuke further. However, since Itachi didn't know about Naruto's relationship with Sasuke, Itachi would have no reason to kill Naruto. Not only that, the entire village was guarded by a detection barrier on all sides, and no one could sneak inside the village without being detected.

Feeling a little better, Sasuke nodded in understanding. He was still shaken up, but to a much more bearable degree. Giving a small, but genuine, smile, Sasuke pulled Naruto into a warm hug. Sometimes, the blonde really was the answer to Sasuke's prayers. For the next few minutes, Naruto sat there comfortably, his head resting in the crook of Sasuke's neck.

"Are you ready for that sparring match we have with Kakashi today?" Sasuke asked Naruto, though rather suddenly.

"Oh yeah, I'm glad you reminded me!" Naruto said as he sat up enthusiastically. "I know that you've really been looking forward to using your Lightning Style Armor, so I've thought of the perfect strategy. You'll mainly be support, but just listen to me first, okay?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but nodded anyway.

"Okay, here's how it works..."

* * *

After going over the original plan, and making a few adjustments here and there, Naruto and Sasuke finally left for the training field to meet up with Kakashi and Sakura. Along the way, the pair decided to stop by Ichiraku's for some breakfast since they still had a little bit of time left. Of course, Teuchi was more than happy to serve his two favorite customers.

After leaving Ichiraku, the duo finally arrived at the training field and were surprised to see Ino and Sakura there. They weren't surprised, however, to see that Kakashi still hadn't arrived and both Sakura and Ino were sitting under a tall oak tree, waiting for Kakashi to show up. Sakura was wearing her usual red top and biker shorts while Ino was wearing a white-tank top that showed off a lot of cleavage, and a pair of dark-gray sweatpants that clung nicely to her ass. Currently, Sakura was sitting in Ino's lap and resting her head on the latter's ample sized chest.

"Naruto-kun! Sasuke-kun! You guys made it!" Ino exclaimed when she spotted the pair making their way into the training field.

Sakura rose her head up off Ino's comfortable chest and waved at the two as they came over.

"Well, at least you guys are on time." Sakura said as Naruto sat down beside her.

"Are you really all that surprised that Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

Sakura thought for a moment.

"Point taken." she replied.

While Naruto and Sakura chatted, Ino attempted to make conversation with Sasuke, but gave up when it became evident that he didn't want to talk. Something was obviously bothering him though. Ino could tell by the way Sasuke stared off into space with a troubled expression.

Ino sighed. _'I guess Naruto-kun really is the only person who can get through his exterior.' _Ino thought to herself. However, she was brought out of her thoughts when she felt Sakura softly squeeze her left tit, causing Ino to blush and giggle.

Almost a full hour later, Kakashi finally arrived, smiling with his eye as though nothing were wrong with is arrival.

"Hello everyone, and sorry I'm late. My '_dolphin_' wouldn't wake up this morning and so-"

"**LIAR!**" both Naruto and Sakura screamed at the same time.

"You can't keep doing this to us Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said angrily as he stood and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's it gonna take for you to actually arrive on time for once!" Sakura demanded. "Honestly, it seems like each day you get later and later!"

"Please, try and settle down." Kakashi said as he sweat dropped and raised both hands in defense. "I'm telling the truth. My _dolphin_ and I overslept this morning and I had trouble waking him up. Which is pretty odd, considering he's usually a light sleeper, even after our activities."

"What are you talking about? What dolphin?" Sakura asked, becoming even more frustrated.

"Iruka. That's what his name means, after all." Kakashi said, his smile still in place under his mask, evidenced by his one visible eye.

Nobody said anything as an awkward silence fell over them. Kakashi was still smiling and Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Ino were all just giving him blank stares. In fact, it was so awkwardly quiet that a cricket could be heard chirping in the background.

"Oooookay. Uh...can we just get on with training now? Naruto asked.

"Sure. Are you and Sasuke ready, or would you like some time to warm up first?" Kakashi asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"We're ready. Let's get this over with." Sasuke said as he stood up from his spot beside Ino, cutting Naruto off before he could say anything.

Naruto frowned at him, but didn't say anything. '_You didn't have to cut me off like that, bastard. He just to wants to fight so badly because he wants to take his mind off that stupid nightmare he had.'_

"Alright then." Kakashi said as he uncovered his Sharingan. "This is the last time we'll be able to practice before the Chunin Exams, so I want you two to give me your best shot. Your opponents will show you absolutely no form of mercy, so you must hold nothing back. Make every movement count. When you attack, you attack to kill. Utilize everything you have learned up until now. Is that understood?"

After receiving nods from both of his pupils, Kakashi did a number of backflips in order to create some distance between himself and them.

"You may begin whenever you're ready!" Kakashi called out.

* * *

Sasuke smirked as he activated his Sharingan. That nightmare he'd had the night before had gotten him riled up, and now was the perfect time to blow off some steam. Plus, he was finally getting a chance to test out his Lightning Style Armor in battle. Even if he would mainly fill the supportive role, he was happy just to be fighting somebody. Though the thought of being secondary still irked him...just a little.

"Okay, stick with the plan and follow my lead." Naruto said as he activated the Rinnegan.

Sasuke frowned at the slightly commanding tone Naruto was using, and only gave a trademark "Hn" as a reply before he closed his eyes and focused his chakra. Almost instantly, Sasuke felt the familiar tingle as his body surged with electricity, his nervous system became artificially stimulated and he could practically feel the electricity coursing through his veins and throughout his entire body. Suddenly, Sasuke's body was engulfed in a brilliant light as sparks of electricity danced all around him, forcing Naruto to take a few steps back. Within a matter of seconds, the sparks became much more concentrated until they formed a thick layer of lightning that surrounded Sasuke's entire being. The ground Sasuke stood on became scorched and his power could be felt by anyone just outside of the training grounds.

'_Whoa! So this what Sasuke's been working on this whole time.' _Naruto thought as he looked at his lover in amazement. '_His power feels absolutely incredible! It's almost equal to mine when I'm in Sage Mode.'_

"I didn't know Sasuke-kun could do something like that." Sakura said as she gaped at her raven-haired teammate. "Even that Sand Genin that beat Lee in the Preliminaries will hardly stand a chance against something like that!"

"What kind of jutsu is this?" Ino said as she half shielded her eyes from the light. "It sounds like...a bunch of birds chirping."

'_Hm, going with **that **technique already, eh Sasuke?' _Kakashi thought to himself in amusement. '_If you can use that jutsu effectively in this fight, you just might stand a chance against Gaara.'_

"Alright, my turn now." Naruto said as he made the "Ram" hand seal. After going deep into his subconscious, Naruto was able to call up just enough of the Kyuubi's chakra to cause his eyes to turn red and his sky-blue fingernails to turn into claws.

After completing his slight transformation, Naruto made the "Shadow Clone" hand seal and created 4 crow clones of himself, one of which who ran off into the forest surrounding the training grounds. Kakashi saw this, and raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Okay, Clone #1, you're up first." the original Naruto said.

The clone nodded and pulled a chakra disruption blade, roughly resembling a sword, out of its wrist before charging forward and engaging Kakashi in combat. Pulling out a kunai knife, Kakashi parried the attack head on and managed to dodge each and every blow and swipe that was thrown at him. The sound of metal hitting metal rang out throughout the training fields as the two combatants tried to best the other. The Naruto clone fought fiercely and moved with the grace of a samurai, forcing Kakashi to rely on his reflexes alone in order to keep up or risk being sliced.

Moving to dodge another slash at his midsection, Kakashi leaped backwards into the air in order to create some distance, but wasn't in the least bit surprised when the Clone #1 leaped after him. He was surprised, however, when Clone #2 appeared behind the first one from out of nowhere and began to go through a set of hand seals.

"_Wind Style: Pressure Damage!_".

Clone #1 dispersed into a flock of crows and flew out of the way, just as Clone #2 released a compressed tornado-like mass from it's mouth, which struck Kakashi directly in the chest. Upon coming into contact with it's target, the tornado-like mass decompressed and exploded in a powerful gale. A wind stronger than anything naturally created swept through the training grounds in the form of a cyclone, uprooting the tallest and mightiest of trees and tearing them apart as though they were toothpicks. Ino and Sakura were nearly blown away as well, though they managed to hold onto the oak tree they were under, which managed to keep a strong hold in the ground.

As the all the dust in the air finally began to clear Sasuke silently cursed as he felt that envious feeling begin to rise within himself again. By using that strange Nine Tailed Fox chakra, Naruto was not only able to unleash a powerful Wind Style technique, but he was able to alter the battlefield, all with one attack. Sasuke clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as the frustration began to sink in, though he shook his head to clear his thoughts when he sensed Kakashi's chakra signature emerge from the ground. This battle was far being over and Sasuke was determined to show what he could do also.

"Figures that would fail." Naruto said as Naruto Clones #1 and #2 rejoined them. "He used the Sharingan to evade at the last minute."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and gave only a normal "Hn" as a reply.

A few moments later, Kakashi finally emerged from the thin cloud of dust still floating in the air, wearing only his Konoha uniform since his flak jacket and headband had been blown off.

'_I didn't realize Naruto's strength had grown this remarkably. He may stand a better chance against Neji now more than ever.' _Kakashi thought as he continued to walk toward his students, all the while anticipating their next move.

Just as he'd foreshadowed, Sasuke used his remarkable reflexes, boosted even more by the Lightning Style Armor, to teleport directly to Kakashi's position. Immediately, Sasuke came out attacking, slashing and swinging with his sword and forcing Kakashi to dodge each move, though barely. Charging the _Raikiri_ in his right hand, Kakashi saw an opening and used it to try and swipe at Sasuke's neck. However, Sasuke once again used his boosted reflexes to teleport behind Kakashi only a foot above the ground.

While still up in the air, Sasuke released a stream of _Chidori_ _Senbon Needles_ that were aimed at Kakashi's head, all of which Kakashi managed to dodge in a style similar to the Matrix, but by jumping to the side in what appeared to be slow motion. Before Kakashi could even have a moment to catch his breath, Sasuke slashed with his sword in an attempt to cut Kakashi's head off, though luckily, Kakashi was able to catch the blade with his _Raikiri_ charged hand. The clash of lightning against lightning sent powerful bolts of electricity flying all over the place, causing Ino and Sakura to have to shield their eyes.

As Kakashi and Sasuke tried to overpower the other, Naruto Clone #3 sprouted a chakra disruption blade from his palm, in the shape of a long spike, and charged forward to join the fray. Seeing the clone charging forward, Kakashi had just enough time shove Sasuke back slightly with a surge of lightning chakra and reach into his pocket to pull out a smoke bomb. Seeing what it was, Sasuke had sense enough to hop back at a safe distance just as Kakashi threw the smoke bomb on the ground at his feet, engulfing him in a large cloud of smoke. Unfortunately, Clone #3 was unable to stop his momentum, and he ended up running right into it.

Now blinded, Clone #3 searched around for Kakashi, but was unable to see or sense the Jonin anywhere around him. Seeing that his opponent was temporarily disoriented, Kakashi charged the _Raikiri_ in his hand again and jumped forward to cut off the clone's head from behind. What Kakashi didn't know, however, was that the cloud of smoke was not thick enough to conceal his silhouette, which could be seen by the other Naruto clones whom all had their _Rinnegan_ turned on. And since they could see Kakashi's silhouette, Clone #3 could as well. Without even having to turn around, he was able to duck just in time as Kakashi's _Raikiri_-charged hand swept passed. Any second longer, and his head would've been rolling.

Before Kakashi could get over the shock of having his target dodge his attack without even looking, Clone #2 came bursting into the cloud of smoke with a hard flying jump kick that sent a stunned Kakashi flying out of the cloud of now-dispersing smoke and hitting the ground so hard that he actually bounced a couple of times before skidding to a stop, making a small impression in the ground both times at that.

After a few seconds, Kakashi coughed and grimaced as he sat up. _'That attack should've hit it's mark, but he somehow dodged it without having to turn around. More than likely, one of the other clone's must somehow seen through the smoke screen, and thus allowing the targeted clone to see it too. If I'm gonna get to the real Naruto, I'll have to destroy those clones first. But with that Rinnegan of theirs, it's like they have eyes in the back of their heads, which makes dispersing them a helluva lot harder. I'll have to find a way around it.'_

With a grunt of effort, Kakashi rose to his feet and dusted himself off before gazing over at his students and formulating a plan in his head. After a few moments, Kakashi was finally able to think of something. It was a bit crazy, but if it worked, he'd have a couple less clones to think about. Thing was, it had to be extremely fast paced and there was absolutely no room for errors.

Meanwhile, Naruto, his clones, and Sasuke watched tensely as they anticipated their sensei's next move. So far, they'd had the upper hand in this fight. Now came the hard part: keeping it that way. With a burst of speed, Kakashi broke into a run while going through a set of hand seals for a Fire Style Technique. Sasuke tried to use the Sharingan to read Kakashi's hand seals, but couldn't as Kakashi was too far away.

"He's planning something! Everyone, get ready!" Naruto commanded.

"Hn, don't have tell me twice." Sasuke muttered under his breath.

After going through the correct hand seals, Kakashi formed a ring with his thumb and index finger through which he blew a massive fireball, which continued to grow larger and larger as it roared along. The massive ball of fire incinerated everything unlucky enough to be in its way, whether it be rocks, trees, or plants alike.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed in alarm.

"Don't worry, I'm all over it!" Naruto hollered back reassuringly. "Clone #2, you know what to do!"

Nodding, Clone #2 rushed forward to stand directly in the fireball's path, meeting the fiery projectile head on. As the massive ball of fire came closer_, _Clone #2 raised his hands forward and formed a translucent shield around himself. When the fireball came into contact with this sheild, it began to rapidly grow smaller and smaller.

"I don't believe it. He's actually absorbing the entire jutsu." Sakura said as she watched in disbelief. "I didn't know that was even possible."

"Same here." Ino agreed as both she and Sakura watched the last traces of what had once a massive fireball of destruction be completely absorbed.

Meanwhile, Kakashi smirked underneath his mask as he watched Phase 1 go as planned. The _Fireball Jutsu_ wasn't supposed to actually hit anyone, no. Instead, it was meant to do one thing: draw a clone directly into his line of fire. Now, it was time for Phase 2. Making the "Shadow Clone" hand seal, Kakashi made a clone of himself which grabbed him by the arm, swung him around, and threw him straight forward at an incredible speed, almost fast enough to break the sound barrier.

Seeing what was coming, Clone #2 had no time to react as he was struck in the stomach with a _Raikiri_ with such force, the impact could be felt even from where Ino and Sakura stood and watched. Needless to say, Clone #2 could not withstand the attack, causing it to disperse into a murder of angry crows which flew off into the sky, cawing angrily.

"That's one down." Kakashi muttered under his breath as he dived into a roll from the momentum of being thrown before continuing to run forward, all without stopping.

Without needing to be told, Kakashi's clone unleashed a stream of _Chidori Senbon Needles_ at Clone #1. Each needle of electricity hit its mark, causing Clone #1 to meet the same fate as Clone #2. With 2 clones taken down in succession, the real Kakashi rounded in on the last clone, ready to have it meet the same fate as the other two. Unfortunately, he was not quick enough. Clone #3 was able to disperse into another murder of crows and fly out of harm's way, setting Kakashi on a collision course with the real Naruto. Thinking quickly, the original Naruto raised his hand toward his sensei and uttered the dreaded words: "_Shinra Tensei_."

All the momentum Kakashi had from being hurled by his clone was shattered in an instant as he ran smack into a powerful gravitational force with impact equivalent to running into a brick wall. He was violently thrown backwards, shooting right past his clone and causing it to spin around in his wake.

With the real Kakashi out of the way for the moment, all that was left to deal with now was the clone. After creating two more clones, clones #5 and #6, Naruto used his raw speed and agility to seemingly teleport to the fake Kakashi's position and deliver a strong upper cut that sent him bouncing back a few good feet. After bouncing off the ground again, the fake found himself kicked into the air by Clone #5, punched back down by Clone #6, and then slashed by Sasuke when he bounced back up in the air. Finally, to top it all off, "Kakashi" was snatched by Sasuke and thrown higher up into the air, only to have Naruto and his three clones crater him into the ground by impaling him with a chakra disruption spike in both sides and the middle of his chest. The force of the impact could be felt throughout the entire training grounds.

'_Well damn. That one was kind of brutal.' _Ino silently commented to herself.

"Hn, that takes care of that one." Sasuke commented indifferently as he sheathed his sword, his body still radiating with the Lightning Style Armor.

"Yeah, but we're not quite done yet." Naruto said as he saw the real Kakashi begin to sit up.

"Whatever. Let's just hurry this up so we can go home."

"For once, I'm with ya this time. Clone #3, you take this one."

Giving an affirming nod, Clone #3 channeled a little chakra into its legs for a speed boost before rushing forward while, at the same time, going through a set of hand seals for the _Lightning Style: False Darkness Jutsu_.

After coming within range of Kakashi, Clone #3 began shooting arcs of lightning out his hands toward his sensei, which were made stronger by mixing lightning chakra with the chakra of the Nine Tailed Fox.

Quickly coming out of his daze, Kakashi hopped to his feet and began running in the opposite direction as fast as he could, hopping from side to side to avoid the powerful arcs of lightning that scorched the ground as they missed their intended target. After one almost grazed his cheek, Kakashi instantly decided that this deadly game of _Cat-N-Mouse _had to end.

After dodging a couple more shots, Kakashi began to leaping through the trees, trying to get Clone #3 to follow him. Clone #3, however, settled for shooting at Kakashi from long range, this time using a single concentrated beam of electricity. Kakashi continued leaping through the trees, barely dodging the death beam of lightning that was shot at him. Tree after tree was cut down as the beam of lightning sliced through them from Cone #3's attempts to fry Kakashi.

Fed up with missing, Clone #3 made the fatal mistake of trying to get in closer. After having been chased vertically up a tall tree by another beam of lightning, Kakashi saw his chance to strike when Clone #3 stood directly at the trunk of the tree. Apparently, it'd decided to go after Kakashi personally after missing yet again. Doing a backflip that would put any acrobat to shame, Kakashi landed foot-first on Clone #3's face, dispersing it instantly.

The second he'd landed, Kakashi took off like a speeding bullet toward his two students while rapidly going through another set of hand seals as he went.

"_Chidori Stream!_" Kakashi yelled before swinging both of his arms forward and unleashing a powerful surge of Lightning Chakra that ripped the ground to pieces as it surged along.

Knowing that they'd have no chance of withstanding a jutsu of that magnitude, Naruto and Sasuke managed to move in the opposite direction of each other and out of harm's way. Clones #5 and #6, however, were not so lucky as the attack hit them with full force, causing them to disperse into crows instantly.

'_Shit! I guess it's up to me and Sasuke, but we're gonna have to put a move on it. The Nine Tail's chakra is about to run out! And if that happens...' _Naruto let his thought voice trail off. There was no time to think about that now. Right now, all that mattered was finishing this fight.

Nodding to Sasuke, the two students jumped back to their original positions to stand in front of Kakashi after the dust and smoke from the last attack had cleared away. Not wasting a single moment, they both began to go through a different set of hand seals.

"_Fire Style: Searing Migraine!_"

"_Wind Style: Pressure Damage!_"

Completing their hands seals at almost the exact time, Sasuke exhaled a powerful stream of fire from his mouth, hot enough to melt both rock and steel in mere seconds. At the same time, Naruto used the same jutsu Clone #2 had used earlier to unleash an incredible stream of pressurized air from his mouth. This bone-crushing stream of air fused with Sasuke's _Searing Migraine Jutsu_ in order to form an unstoppable firestorm that now raced at Kakashi, now hot enough to melt even lead.

'_This starting to get too dangerous. I'll be finished if that so much as even grazes me.' _Kakashi thought to himself as he quickly went through a set of hand seals.

"_Water Style: Water Encampment Wall!"_

After calling out the name of the jutsu, a 25 ft. wall of water, made completely out of Kakashi's chakra, sprang up from the ground to form a protective shield in front of its caster. The _Searing Migraine_/_Pressure Damage_ combinationcollided with this wall of waterwith the force of a truck hitting a cement wall, causing a loud hissing sound as the intense heat combated its rival.

Normally, the Fire element is weak against the Water element. However, when combined with Wind, the strength of the Fire element can increase 10x over, thereby making it stronger than Water. This, Kakashi was able to realize at the last second. Knowing that his _Water Encampment Wall Jutsu _was about to give way, Kakashi made a few quick hand seals and was able to fluidly slip under ground just as the _Water Wall _collapsed. The searing stream of fire zipped past and reduced most of the forest behind Kakashi to ash before finally dying down.

A few moments later, the real Kakashi emerged from the charred ground, completely unharmed by the attack. This, of course, pissed Sasuke off to no end. He had all this power coursing through him, but yet he still wasn't doing the amount of damage he'd wanted to do. In fact, Naruto was the only one who'd managed to land a hit, which only infuriated Sasuke even more.

Unable to contain his frustration anymore, Sasuke bolted forward so sharply that he not only cleared half the distance between himself and Kakashi within a few seconds, but he also completely left Naruto in his dust, going so fast that he practically tore the ground apart with his speed alone.

"You're **mine**!" Sasuke screamed.

Channeling Lightning Chakra to his hands, Kakashi barely had time to catch Sasuke's fist as his enraged student plowed into him with full force, causing a slight tremor. For a moment, the struggle was at a stalemate before Sasuke applied even more chakra, plowing Kakashi into the ground. The force of the impact was powerful enough to cause a massive shockwave, which then created a powerful gale which blew away many of the rocks and trees that were still standing.

When the dust finally cleared, both Sasuke and Kakashi were standing the middle of a giant, gaping crater. Kakashi was on the ground, still holding back Sasuke's fist as bolts of electricity danced around them.

'_Damn. Even after all that, Sasuke's attack still didn't get through.' _Naruto thought to himself in amazement_._

As Sasuke and Kakashi continued to struggle with each other, they became aware that the crater they were fighting in was rapidly beginning to fill up with the water that was normally found deep underground. Knowing that water and lightning wouldn't make a good combination for either of them, both Sasuke and Kakashi hopped out of the crater right before it could finish filling up.

Kakashi landed on one of the tall piles of rubble surrounding the crater while Sasuke stood on one of the large masses of rock floating on the water's surface. Naruto joined him a few moments later.

"Whew. You two have done even better than I expected, and I congratulate you for making it this far. However, this is the final round. And judging by your chakras', your both at end of your ropes." Kakashi said as he looked down at his two students with his Sharingan eye.

No sooner had the words left Kakashi's lips when Sasuke suddenly dropped to his knees. The Lightning Style Armor fizzled out instantly and Sasuke was left with barely even a drop of chakra if any at all, not even enough to keep his Sharingan activated. Plus, at that exact moment, the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra ran out as well. Naruto eyes and nails went back to normal, and his body throbbed with an aching pain. However, Naruto paid it no mind. Right now, Sasuke was in worst shape, as he couldn't even stand.

"Sasuke! Are you okay? What's the matter?" Naruto asked worriedly, all in one breath.

"I'm afraid he has no chakra left." Kakashi said. "Don't you remember what I told you Sasuke? The Lightning Style Armor is only meant to be used with Taijutsu, since it burns up chakra so quickly. Using other forms of Ninjutsu along with it will simply drain you even faster, leaving you completely defenseless when it wears off. This is exactly why I warned you about letting your anger take control of you, Sasuke."

"Shut up! Damn it, just just the hell up!" Sasuke screamed in rage. He attempted to rise to his feet, but ended being brought back to his knees in exhaustion. Worse yet, he was experiencing shortness of breath.

Before Sasuke could attempt to try again, Naruto fought through the increasingly aching pain of his own body and lifted Sasuke up off the ground, bridal style. After throwing a marked kunai into the oak tree where Ino and Sakura were spectating, Naruto used the _Flying Thunder God Jutsu _to teleport both himself and Sasuke to the location of the two kunoichi where he sat Sasuke on the ground.

"Naruto? What are you-"

"Don't try and argue Sasuke. I'll handle it from here. You just focus on regathering you're chakra." Naruto said, cutting him off. "Besides, you're in no condition to continue."

"But Naruto-kun, how do you plan on finishing the match? Your body isn't in such good condition either." Sakura pointed out.

"I know, but I have a back up plan."

Without another word, Naruto threw another marked kunai that embedded itself into the large floating mass of rock where he and Sasuke had been earlier and teleported back to that location, since any other method would put too much strain on his already sore body. He was going to have to hurry and disperse the clone that had run into the forest, as his body was starting to go numb from the aching pain.

"You still wanna continue, Naruto?" Kakashi asked. "If you wish to stop, I will not hold it against you."

"No way! If I can't even finish this match, then I have no chance in hell of beating Neji!" Naruto said as he made the "Ram" hand seal. "I'm seeing this fight through till the end!"

As Naruto spoke, a reddish-orange pigment appeared around both of his eyes, his irises went from the grayish-purple color of the _Rinnegan_ to a dark yellow (though still retaining the ripple pattern), and his pupils became horizontal bars.

'_Sage Mode? Hmm, I see. So that's why he sent that one clone into the forest, to gather Nature Energy.__' _Kakashi thought to himself. '_If this is his trump card, I'll have to end this quick.'_

"Sage Mode, huh?. If that's your ace-in-the-whole, then it's time we wrap this up!" Kakashi exclaimed before rapidly going through a long set of hand seals.

"_Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!_"

At Kakashi's command, the water around Naruto began to churn violently, crashing into the sides of the crater as a giant mass of water began to rise. A few moments later, the mass of water formed itself into a fierce dragon, who let out a monstrous roar that could be heard throughout the entire training field. The water dragon then menacingly rose up into the air before growling and shooting toward Naruto without warning.

"_Water Clone Jutsu!" _Naruto said as he made a couple of hand seals.

As Naruto completed the last hand seal, a watery blob rose from the surrounding water before forming itself into an exact replica of the caster. After receiving a nod from Naruto, the water clone grabbed Naruto by the arm, swung him around, and launched him directly at the speeding water dragon. While in midair, Naruto made the "Shadow Clone" hand seal and created 600+ shadow clones of himself, thus creating a stream of Naruto's now on a collision course with a racing water dragon.

The two forces met with a powerful splash, causing a torrential downpour. Clone after clone was rapidly dispersed as they hit the water dragon with everything they had. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the clones prevailed and managed to succesfully beat back the _Water Dragon Jutsu_. With nothing holding them back, the stream of Naruto clones now raced toward Kakashi, who braced himself for the impending impact.

However, Kakashi was thrown off guard when the stream of shadow clones dispersed, leaving only the original Naruto, who was already forming the _Rasengan _in his hand. Though, this Rasengan was different from a normal one, as it had wind swirling around it and it produced a loud, high pitched whistling sound. Kakashi had no time to gape, however, and instead formed the _Raikiri _in both hands rather than just one like he normally did. All he had to now...was brace for impact.

"_Wind Style: Rasengan!_"

"_Raikiri!"_

The clash of wind against lightning created a reverberating boom that practically broke the sound barrier. Sakura, Ino, and Sasuke could only gape in awe at the display of power in front of them. Who would've thought that Naruto Uzumaki, the clown, the dead-last, would one day go toe-to-toe with Kakashi Hatake, an elite Jonin? Sadly, as brilliant as the display was, it would have to draw to a close.

And it did.

Though he tried with all the remaining chakra he had, Kakashi was unable to push Naruto's jutsu back, as Wind was strong against Lightning. With a cry of effort, Naruto pushed forward with a burst of strength and drove Kakashi into the pile of rubble he stood on, _hard_. With Kakashi now depleted of his chakra, the battle was officially drawn to a close.

* * *

"So, Naruto-kun, how long are you gonna be like that?" Sakura asked, pointing out that Naruto was still in Sage Mode.

"It'll wear off by itself soon." Naruto replied as he looked at his reflection in his kunai knife.

"Are you sure? I remember you used it against that female Grass ninja back at the Forest of Death, but it didn't last nearly this long." Sakura pointed out.

"I know. Pervy Sage taught me how to make it last longer, but it'll only last for a few more minutes though." Naruto said.

It was roughly an hour later, and the group of Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino were making their way to the training ground exit. After the match, Ino and Sakura helped Naruto fish Kakashi out of the debris and carried him back to the oak tree where Sakura treated his injuries. As Sasuke and Kakashi gathered their strength, Naruto had the time of his life bragging about himself and how he had it all planned out, even the part where Sasuke's _Lightning Style Armor _wore off (not really). After letting Kakashi and Sasuke rest to regather a little of their strength, the group headed out to leave the training grounds.

"Hey, Naruto-kun, what kind of jutsu is that anyway?" Ino asked. "I've never seen something like that before."

"You like it? It's called Sage Mode." Naruto replied.

"Sage Mode?"

"Yeah. Pervy Sage is a master at this stuff. It's works like this..."

While Naruto explained Sage Mode to Ino and Sakura, Sasuke followed behind with Kakashi, a prominent scowl on his usually passive face. That envious feeling now felt like a full fledged wildfire in the pit of Sasuke's stomach. Despite all the training he'd endured with Kakashi the entire month, he still was still weaker than Naruto, even to the point of having to be saved by the blonde. That had been, without a doubt, the biggest blow to his ego. Sasuke was the dominant one. **He **was the one who was supposed to do the saving, not the other way around. Having Naruto carry him to safety like that had been the most humiliating experience of his life.

As if that wasn't bad enough, he was once again forced to be in Naruto's shadow. Despite how much he he had trained, despite how much he had learned, watching the rest of the fight between Naruto and Kakashi showed just how much of a gap was between his and Naruto's power. As he watched Naruto enter Sage Mode and have that power struggle against Kakashi's _Raikiri_, that feeling of jealousy grew and grew until it felt like Sasuke would explode.

'_It's not...(grits teeth). It's not fair. Even after all that, I'm still...**GODDAMN IT!**_"

As he walked, Sasuke began to grit his teeth harder and harder. Without even realizing it, he was once again glaring at the back of Naruto's head, on the verge of seeing red. He was so pissed that no only did his Sharingan reactivate, the Curse Mark did as well. Within a few seconds, the black flame pattern spread from the backside of his neck to cover his entire face and the entire left side of his body. Seeing this, Kakashi slapped his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, snapping the boy back to reality and causing the Curse Mark to quickly recede.

"Cool it Sasuke." Kakashi commanded. He already knew why Sasuke was feeling a bit irritated. "So you got careless and used up your chakra. So what? It happens to all of us."

"Well it shouldn't have to happen to me." Sasuke snapped. "It's not fair, Kakashi. Even after everything I've done this entire month, I'm still not strong enough. Naruto is still ahead of me."

"If you keep comparing yourself to Naruto, then you won't notice your own growth, Sasuke. Think about it for a moment. Think about how far you've come since first starting the Chunin Exams. If you didn't have the skills you've learned this month, would you have done as well as you did during the match?"

"That doesn't matter. I'm supposed to be an elite Uchiha, yet my class's dead-last is ahead of me. If I can't surpass him, then I won't stand a chance against Itachi one day. I'm still not where I should be! Why can't you understand that!"

Before Kakashi could say anything, Sasuke quickened his pace to move up to the front so that he was now in the leading position of the group.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head.

'_Hatred still clouds his mind. Not even his love for Naruto can make him see the light." _Kakashi thought to himself sadly as he looked at the back of Sasuke's head.

After leaving the training grounds, Kakashi decided to treat everyone, namely Naruto and Sasuke, to Ichiraku for a job well done. The only person who wasn't happy about getting to eat was, of course, Sasuke, who just wanted to go home and be left alone. Throughout the entire celebration meal, Sasuke ate in silence and acted as though no one else was there but himself. Even when Naruto attempted to talk him, Sasuke merely gave him the cold shoulder and he'd glare whenever Naruto wasn't looking.

Other than that, everyone had a good time and ate their fill, especially Naruto. By the end of the day, Kakashi had been drained of both his chakra and his money.

It was dark by the time Naruto and Sasuke finally arrived at home, after escorting everyone to their own homes, and Sasuke was feeling irritable and exhausted. Right now, all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep. The final round of the Chunin Exams were tomorrow and he would need all the rest he could get.

"Ah, it feels great to be home!" Naruto exclaimed as he kicked off his sandals after taking off his headband. "I still can't believe the final round of the Chunin Exams are tomorrow! I can finally make that Neji bastard pay for what he did to Hinata."

"Would you shut up? I can do just fine without your rambling." Sasuke snapped over his shoulder as he and Naruto entered the bedroom.

Naruto stopped in the doorway and gave him a confused look.

"Are you okay? You didn't say a word at Ichiraku, and when I tried to talk to you, you completely blew me off. What gives?" Naruto asked. "Did I do something to make you mad?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm just tired." Sasuke replied as he changed into his T-shirt and sweatpants.

"Don't lie to me. You were the same way when we were leaving the Training Grounds. You cut in front of me, Ino-chan, and Sakura-chan, and then you ignored me when I called your name. I don't understand what the problem is. Why are you being such a dick?"

Sasuke took a deep breath to calm himself before he said something hurtful. He really wasn't in the mood for name calling right now.

"Shut up, dobe. Now are you coming to bed or not?" Sasuke asked coldly as he slid underneath the covers.

Instead of answering, Naruto stripped down to his night clothes and marched over to hover over Sasuke. Before the Uchiha could ask what he was doing, Naruto promptly pulled him out of bed and onto the floor.

"What the hell, Naruto?" Sasuke asked angrily.

Again Naruto didn't answer. Instead, he pulled Sasuke to his feet and pulled him over to the bedroom closet. Raising an eyebrow, Sasuke watched as Naruto began to rummage through it, finally pulling out an assortment of sheets and a couple of thick blankets which he then handed to Sasuke. Before Sasuke could inquire what they were for, Naruto began pushing him toward the door.

"What the hell are you doing, usurutonkachi?" Sasuke asked angrily.

"Since you seem to have a stick shoved up your ass, you can just sleep on the couch tonight." Naruto replied as he shoved Sasuke out the bedroom door.

At first, Sasuke thought Naruto was joking. However, when the blonde slammed the door behind him and locked it, Sasuke knew he'd be sleeping alone tonight. Begrudgingly, Sasuke made his way into the living room and turned on the lamp that sat on the coffee table beside the couch.

'_I don't believe this shit.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he pulled out the foldable couch and began spreading his sheets over it. "Things can't possibly get any worse."

After laying out his sheets and blankets, Sasuke crawled under the covers and used one of the couch cushions for a pillow. No sooner had Sasuke laid his head on his pillow when he heard "_Yes! Oh God, yes! Harder!" _coming from the apartment beside Naruto's, followed by more loud moaning. At first, Sasuke tried to simply ignore it. In the end though, it not only kept Sasuke up, it also began to frustrate him...sexually. And now, almost two and half hours later, Sasuke was laying wide awake on the couch, arms stretched out, with a pulsing erection that simply wasn't going away.

"Man, fuck _me._"

**That concludes this chapter. Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think.**

**On a side note, I apologize for the long wait. I had to study for the SATs. and I haven't had very much time to write. Also, the term "Raikiri" is just the Japanese name for Kakashi's Lightning Blade. I decided to use Raikiri since it's shorter and it doesn't take very long to type. Also, if you want me to stop italicizing the name of all of the jutsu, feel free to let me know.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Before you begin reading, I just wanted to let you all know that a reviewer known as NaKita227 has been helping me write this story. So, if anyone is gonna drop a review, be sure to give her some love too. **

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 39**

It was the next day, the day of the Final Round of the Chunin Exams, and Naruto could not help but feel a little nervous as he slurped up the last of his 9th bowl of ramen. Usually by now, he'd have eaten a lot more, but his nerves were still bothering him. He'd barely slept at all last night as reality finally dawned on him that the final rounds were tomorrow, and he'd be facing off against the most gifted member of the Hyuga Clan right off the bat.

'_So much for getting a good night's sleep' _Naruto thought sarcastically to himself as he set his bowl on top of all the others. '_Hmph, stupid nerves.'_

Of course, the importance of today wasn't the only thing getting Naruto a little down and edgy.

For one thing, Sasuke had been pissed that morning after having to sleep on the couch and catching almost no sleep himself. Naruto had forgotten to mention that the people living next door to him could get rather loud sometimes at night. It had been an honest mistake on Naruto's part, but either way, Sasuke wasn't happy. The Uchiha had barely spoken a word to him at all that morning, and he'd glared at Naruto all throughout breakfast, resulting in a tense and awkward silence.

Things couldn't get any worse, right?

**WRONG!**

Things went from bad to just down right shitty that morning when the pair went to the training grounds to spar with each other before it was time for the Finals Rounds. Plus, Sasuke had wanted to test a new jutsu he was working on called the _Chidori Spear_. Anyway, everything had started off fine at first, until Sasuke started to get frustrated. He hadn't been able to actually hit Naruto with the damn thing and Naruto had been able to see through every jutsu he threw at him. Long story short, the two got into an argument, said some REALLY nasty things to each other, and before either of them knew it, they were exchanging fists. Luckily, Kiba and Shino, who just happened to pass by, had managed to break them up.

That had been an hour ago, and Naruto had not seen Sasuke since then.

Thanks to the power of the Nine Tailed Fox though, Naruto's bruises quickly healed and he found himself walking aimlessly through Konoha, feeling a little hurt and with nothing to do. So, seeing as how Ichiraku was right across from him, Naruto decided to drown his sorrows with his favorite treat. After he'd sat down and ordered his meal, Naruto sat there and thought about what was to come, what he would have to face in just the next hour. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, it took him a few moments to realize that his order was ready. Normally, he'd dive right in and devour the contents in under a minute. This time, however, he ate a lot slower than he usually did.

Teuchi and his daughter Ayame knew something was wrong, but they didn't bother to inquire, simply assuming that he was a little nervous about his upcoming match. After Naruto had finished his 9th bowl, Teuchi attempted to cheer the blonde up a little with small talk.

"So, Naruto, how have you been lately?" Teuchi asked. "You don't come by as often as you normally do."

"Hm? Oh, I've been okay. Lately, I've been spending most of my time training." Naruto said a little gloomily.

"That's good." Teuchi replied.

He then turned and set down what was perhaps the biggest bowl of ramen Naruto had ever seen in his life. Rather than dig right in, Naruto stared down at the large bowl blankly, not sure if he should eat it or not, as he certainly didn't have enough money to pay for it.

"Uh...Teuchi?" Naruto began, but Teuchi raised a hand to silence him.

"This one's on the house, so don't worry about it. Besides, you have that big competition today, so you'll need all the energy you can get." Teuchi said with a warm smile.

Naruto stared at him blankly for a few more moments, before he gave an awkward smile.

"Oh, well okay then. Thanks guys!"

Without any further hesitation, Naruto picked up his chopsticks and happily dug in.

* * *

Tenten panted as she stopped for a minute to catch her breath. She and Neji had just gotten finished training in a nearby meadow somewhere in Konoha Forest. Despite having trained for roughly 3 and half hours now, she still hadn't managed to land a single hit. No matter what technique she used, Neji saw through it almost instantly and countered it with no effort at all. He'd even managed to counter Tenten's most advanced moves without even having to try.

Now, the said Hyuga prodigy stood with his back to her. Not a single hair was out of place, nor was there so much a single wrinkle or speck of dirt on his clothes. In fact, if it weren't for the numerous ninja tools embedded in the trees and ground around him, one would never know that he had been training.

"Incredible, Neji! You don't even have a scratch on you!" Tenten exclaimed between pants. "Your defense is absolutely flawless!"

Neji did not reply right away. Though he did appreciate Tenten's praise, her words were not enough to actually encourage him in any way. Their training session had been far too easy on his part. So easy, in fact, that he hadn't even broken a sweat! His upcoming opponent, however, would be the real challenge, for he possessed the legendary Rinnegan. Despite this, Neji smirked anyhow. Whether he possessed the Rinnegan and could instanteously teleport himself or not, the blonde was still a failure. And a failure will always be a failure, no matter what. Fate was on Neji's side, and that simple belief gave Neji more confidence than words could ever hope to give him.

"Consider this only a warm up for what's to come." Neji finally said as he looked at Tenten over his shoulder. "I'm heading over to the stadium now. Let's go, Tenten."

Without even waiting for Tenten to reply, Neji faced forward again, and began walked off.

* * *

After finishing his meal and paying the bill for the other nine bowls, Naruto once again found himself wandering aimlessly through town. As he walked, Naruto noticed that the streets were even more crowded than they usually were, though he guessed that these people were probably here to watch the Chunin Exams. While he made his way through the crowds, Naruto couldn't help but over hear some of the conversations:

"_Neji Hyuga is in the first match right?"_

_"Yeah, he's the #1 Rookie from last year! There's no way we can miss that match!"_

_"So the demon-boy is going up against Neji Hyuga, eh? Heh, I know where my money is going."_

_"Yeah, the demon vessel is going to get destroyed. There's no way he can stand up to a Hyuga."_

_"Man, the first match is going to be a total blowout!"_

_"I know! __Neji Hyuga has this one in the bag. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he beat that demon-boy with one punch!"_

___"Although, I have been hearing that the "thing" has the Rinnegan."_

___"Yeah right. There's no such thing as a Rinnegan. It's just a myth. Whoever believes that rumor deserves to be slapped, just for the hell of it."_

Hearing all of this was making Naruto feel more and more discouraged. It seemed as if nobody in the village believed he had a chance at winning against Neji. Worse yet, Naruto was actually starting to listen to them and he began to silently doubt even himself.

"Hey, Pretty Boy!" a voice called.

Looking up, Naruto was momentarily brought of his sorrow when he saw a familiar figure waving at him from in front of a store where they sold ninja tools. Instantly, Naruto's face lit up once he'd seen who it was.

"Jinx! No long time, no see!" Naruto said excitedly as he ran up to his new friend. **(In case you guys forgot, Jinx is one of the Fuma Clan members who Naruto escorted to Kirigakure.) **"How have you been? Where are the others? Are they okay?"

"Whoa, easy there Goldilocks, one at a time. To answer your first question, I've been fine. Secondly, the others are already at the arena. Thirdly, their okay too. In fact, they should be securing their seats right about now." Jinx replied.

"Oh, so you and your team are here for the Chunin Exams too?"

"Not just us, but also the entire Fuma Clan. Their looking forward to seeing you again."

"The entire Fuma Clan! Really?"

"Yep. Anyway, before I forget, I'm supposed to give you these."

Jinx then reached into the pack he wore on his back and pulled out a pair of what looked like steel brass knuckles, except they had a zigzag "tooth" over each knuckle and a blade coming out of one end.

"Hey, these are just like Asuma-sensei's!" Naruto said as he accepted the blades and examined them, amazed at how light weight they were. They weighed almost nothing, but could cut like steel.

"Glad you like them. Their called Chakra Knives. They can absorb the characteristics of the user's chakra, and produce all kinds of effects. The Fuma Clan heard that you have an affinity for Wind Nature, so we all figured those would make the perfect gift for you. I've been lookin all over so I could give them to ya, and I almost didn't recognize you at first, with that new outfit and and all." Jinx explained, referring to Naruto's clothes.

Naruto's attire consisted of a navy blue Konoha Ninja Uniform which he wore underneath a new flak jacket (his last one got cut up by Shiore/Orochimaru), complete with a face mask that covered the bottom part of his face. Lastly, he wore a bracelet on both of his wrists and a ring of bandages around the middle part of both sleeves. Last time Jinx had seen Naruto, he'd had on his usual orange jumpsuit, so it was no wonder Jinx had a little trouble recognizing him. Plus, the long hair and shaggy ponytail didn't make recognizing him that much easier either.

"Oh, you guys didn't have to go through all that trouble just for me."

"Actually, they were no trouble at all. We happened to have some in stock, so we saved them just for you. Anyway, I have to get over to the Chunin Exams Stadium, or else the high-n-mighty Damas will bitch at me. So I'll catch ya later."

"Alright, well thank you."

Naruto put the Chakra Knives in the holster strapped to his leg and turned to go. He had justed started to walk off when...

"Hey, Naruto, hold on a second." Jinx said.

Naruto stopped and turned to him.

"Yeah?"

"Listen, I've been hearing all the talk going on about you and you're upcoming match. Well, don't listen to those jackasses. Their just talkin a whole lotta shit because they don't know what you're made of. They weren't there to see you massacre the Marauder Syndicate. They weren't there to see you do the _Blaze Ball _thing. They weren't there for none of that. If they knew what you could do, they'd think twice about what they say about you."

Despite Jinx's words, Naruto still didn't feel so sure. Though he had to admit, Jinx had a point.

"Yeah, but...all I ever do is mess things up. Sure, I may act tough, but underneath it all, I'm just a big failure."

"To hell with that kind of talk!" Jinx snapped, causing Naruto to jump slightly at the sudden out burst. "This isn't the Naruto Uzumaki I met on the the way to Kirigakure. The Naruto I met was confident of himself. Even when that Baron Praxis bastard captured that pink haired girl, you didn't just give up on yourself like you're doing now. Instead, you kicked ass and took names, plus rescued the broad! Don't worry about if you mess up, nobody's perfect. Unlike the other people I've met in my life, you're able to pick yourself up and keep going when you fuck up. Even when facing the Marauder Syndicate seemed impossible to overcome, you didn't back down like anybody else would've. Instead, you fought back and took down the entire organization, which was something even the entire Fuma Clan could not do!"

As Jinx spoke, Naruto felt his spirits began to rise more and more.

"So, you actually think I can win?"

"Hell no. I don't **THINK** you can win, I **KNOW **you can win. You have more heart than any shinobi I've ever met, and you're only a Genin at that! So what if this "Neji Hyuga" is some gifted prodigy from the Hyuga Clan? All that matters is that you go out there and give it everything you've got. Even if you do fail, make it so that people will be able to honestly say that you went down like a true warrior and not some coward. So what if people doubt you? Make them sorry they did so. Real strength isn't measured by how many jutsu you have or how advanced your skills are. True strength is the will to never give up and fight until your last breath. Even if someone does have impressive moves, that don't mean shit unless they can tough it out. You, Naruto, are one of the few people who can do it. That's something you even taught me."

At hearing this, Naruto's face lit all the way up.

"Really? You actually learned something from me?"

"Damn straight. You can beat Neji's ass. I know you can. Even if nobody else believes in you, believe in yourself. Sometimes, that may be the only thing that can push you forward. Like I said earlier, don't listen to what these douchebags have to say . They just haven't seen what you can do, so their going by their own assumptions. You're not a failure, and you're not weak. You're one of the strongest shinobi out there, you've shown me that! Now stop all this talk about doubting yourself and be the Naruto Uzumaki you were when I first met you. Besides, you're not going into this thing alone. You have the whole Fuma Clan cheering you on. I believe in you Blondie, the entire Fuma Clan believes in you. So suck it up and give it your all, understand?"

Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Good. In that case, I'll see you at the stadium" With that, Jinx made a hand sign and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Even a few minutes after Jinx had disappeared, Naruto continued to stand there for a few moments longer, letting his friend's words sink in.

"Yeah, believe in myself." Naruto said to himself softly as he stood there. "Hey yeah! I'm Naruto Uzumaki damn it! Man, I feel so stupid, doubting myself like that! What was I thinking?" Naruto said as he slapped himself in the face, finally back to his old self.

The sound of fireworks exploding overhead snapped Naruto out of his self-reprimanding, and he quickly brought his attention to the sky. Soon, more fireworks began to go off, one right after another. Naruto continued to stare at the strange spectacle for a few moments longer before he finally became aware of how deserted the streets had become.

"Oh shit! The Final Rounds are starting!" Naruto hollered before breaking off into a fast run. "Fuck! I'm gonna be so late if I don't hurry!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Chunin Exams Arena itself, things were just about ready to kick off. Most of the people had gotten their seats and snacks by now and were impatiently waiting for the matches to start already. The entire arena was filled to the brim with people and their excited whispers and chats, that the noise seemed almost deafening. No matter where you were in the stands, all the conversations were focused on only two matches that would soon take place: **_Naruto Uzumaki vs Neji Hyuga _**& _**Sasuke Uchiha vs Gaara**_.

You get only two guesses on who the people bet on to win in either match.

On the actual arena field, the participants of the Final Round waited tensely as they looked around at all the people and listened to their conversations. It was rather easy since some people didn't bother to whisper at all.

'_Wow, glad to hear so many people supporting Naruto.' _Shikamaru sarcastically said to himself. '_Speaking of Naruto, where is the little ball of sunshine? I figured he'd be one of the first ones here. Come to think of it__, we're missing quite a few people_. _For one thing_, w_here's the other guy I'm supposed to fight? I think his name was Dosu or something...oh, who gives a fuck? He's not here, so he's one less pain in the ass to deal with. Besides that, it looks like Sasuke isn't here either. I figured both he and Naruto would show up by now.'_

Back up in the stands, the same question was going through the mind of every member of the Fuma Clan as well.

"Where's Naruto-san?" Damas asked. "He is in the competition, is he not?"

"Yes, he is." Kleiver confirmed. "Jinx, what did you do? You were the last person to see him."

"Blondie's fine. He was feeling a little hesitant about his upcoming fight, so I gave him a little helpful advice." Jinx said as he leaned back in his seat with his hands behind his head, resting his feet on the railing.

At hearing that Jinx had given Naruto "helpful" advice, nearly everyone in the Fuma Clan groaned and slapped a hand to their face.

"Oh great. You know, Jinx, you ain't exactly the best when it comes to pep talk." Torn cracked.

"Torn, eat a dick. Nobody asked for your two cents. Now would everybody just chill the fuck out? Look, Blondie will be here, okay? I know he will. He's just running a little late, that's all. Trust me on this one people, he'll be here." Jinx persisted.

"For your sake, you had better be right." Angela said. "Otherwise, Damas isn't going to be too happy."

"He'll show, just you wait. In fact, he's probably on his way right now." Jinx replied confidently. '_C'mon Pretty Boy, hurry up. I'm in deep shit here!'_

* * *

After roughly 15 minutes of yelling and pushing through the crowds of people that were still in the streets, Naruto had only gotten halfway to the Chunin Exams Stadium. He would've been there by now had it not been for Konohamaru inadvertently setting him back. The boy had honestly tried to help, except both attempts to help Naruto get to the arena only pushed him further away from his destination, so Naruto ended up having to start back over again...and again. Luckily, hopping from rooftop to rooftop had helped him clear a lot more ground than running on foot.

Unfortunately, he still wouldn't be able to make it to the arena in time, even at the rate he was going. Plus, having to hop was using too much of his much needed energy.

"Damn it. The Final Round is about to start in 3 minutes, and I'm only halfway there." Naruto complained as he stopped to catch his breath. "The only way I could get there in time now is if I...I..."

Suddenly, an idea flashed in his head. Thinking quickly, Naruto began to go through a set of hand seals.

"_Rinnegan Summoning Jutsu!"_ Naruto yelled as he slammed his palm on the roof of the house he was standing on.

Naruto's body was then engulfed in a large puff of smoke for a few seconds, before it cleared away to reveal Naruto standing on what appeared to be a giant turquoise-colored bird. It had several chakra disruption spikes jabbed in it's body, possessed the Rinnegan, it's beak was in the shape of a large, jagged drill, and it possessed three feet. Two were where they were supposed to be while the third was located on its abdomen.

"Okay, get me to the Chunin Exams Arena and step on it!" Naruto commanded.

The large bird squawked and shot off without warning, almost breaking the sound barrier. Had Naruto not have focused chakra to his feet to keep himself anchored to the bird's back, he would've been knocked clean off from the sudden jolt.

* * *

2 minutes later, all activity and chatting within the arena stopped all at once as everyone gaped in open-mouth shock at what appeared to be a giant bird lowering itself onto the arena floor. The creature was unlike any bird they had ever seen, and each flap of it's wings blew mighty gusts of wind through the entire arena. Riding on its back was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, his arms crossed confidently over his chest and his Rinnegan proudly activated. After his transport had lowered itself to a safe enough height, Naruto jumped off its back and dispersed the summoning with a single, simple hand seal.

All at once, the arena once again erupted in loud chatter as everyone was still in disbelief after what they had just seen and were still seeing. The people who didn't believe Naruto had a chance in Hell of winning, were now second guessing themselves, especially the ones whom hadn't believed that the Rinnegan was real in the first place.

"Hell yeah! I told you Blondie would make it, and in style too!" Jinx exclaimed as he pumped a fist in the air. "Now then, what do we all say?"

"Sorry we doubted you, Jinx." the rest of the Fuma Clan said in unison.

"Damn straight."

"Jackass" one of the Fuma Clan members in the background said.

"Hey! Fuck you, whoever said that!"

Back on the arena floor, the remaining participants of the Final Round were just as surprised as everyone else. After all, it's not everyday someone comes riding in on a giant bird.

_'I'll admit, the guy sure knows how to make an entrance.' _Shikamaru thought to himself as he shook his head.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I got a little side tracked on the way here, and-" Naruto stopped when he realized somebody was missing, a certain Uchiha. "Hey, where's Sasuke?

"Good question." Shikamaru said. "I myself would like to know where that Dosu guy is. I'm supposed to be fighting him too, but he isn't here either."

"Hey!" Genma Shiranui snapped, getting both Naruto's and Shikamaru's attention. "Don't start fidgeting now. Stand up straight and present yourselves proudly to the spectators. Also, Lord Hokage is about to speak.

No sooner had the words left Genma's mouth when Hiruzen Sarutobi rose from his seat up in the Hokage box. As he approached the railing, all conversations and noise quickly died down until there was not a single sound in the entire arena. After having everyone's undivided attention, Hiruzen began to address the crowd.

"Welcome all, and our deepest thanks for coming here to the village of Konohagakure for this year's Chunin Selection Exams! We have come to the final competition between the eight candidates who made it through the Preliminaries! We of Konohagakure ask that nobody leave the arena until all of the matches have been completed! Now, then, without further delay, let the Final Round of the Chunin Selection Exams begin!" Hiruzen announced in his booming voice.

As everyone in the arena began to cheer and applaud, Genma decided that now was the time to re-inform the remaining candidates on the order of how things were gonna go, just in case some of them forgot. Plus, one of them who hadn't shown up yet wouldn't be showing up at all.

"Before you guys begin, I feel that I should let you know that there has been a slight incident." Genma said, getting everyone's attention. "I regret to inform you that Dosu Kinuta has met an untimely end, so he will not be participating in the Final Round."

Shikamaru's eyes widened at hearing this.

'_What? Dosu is dead? What the hell could've happened to him?' _Shikamaru thought to himself. He certainly wouldn't miss Dosu, but he was still a little shocked at hearing about the guy's demise.

"So, with that being said, there has been a slight change in the line up. I want you guys to look over the list, just so you remember who goes next." Genma continued as he pulled the match-up list from one of the pockets of his flak jacket and showed it to the remaining candidates.

The change really wasn't that big at all. Originally, Shikamaru was supposed to fight two matches: one against Dosu and one against Temari. However, with Dosu now dead, Shikamaru would only be fighting against Temari. Other than that, all the other matches were basically the same.

"Hey, I have a question." Naruto said as he raised his hand for recognition.

"Yes, what is it?" Genma asked.

"I was just wondering, but what's gonna happen to Sasuke Uchiha if he doesn't show up?"

This didn't make any sense at all. Surely Sasuke couldn't be **THAT **pissed off, right? This was way too important for him to just pass up. Worse yet, Naruto was now starting to become extremely worried, as he hadn't seen or heard from Sasuke since they had that fight back at the training field. In fact,_ nobody_ had.

"If a candidate is not here at the arena by the time his/her name is called, they automatically forfeit their match." Genma said with indifference, both hands behind his back.

Naruto gulped and nodded in understanding.

After Genma explained the rules and procedures, all of the candidates, except for Naruto and Neji, were instructed to move to the holding area on the upper level of the arena where they could watch the fight from out of harm's way.

"Heh, who would've thought that runt would make it this far?" Kotetsu commented, referring to Naruto.

"I hear ya. He's been one lucky kid so far, but I'd say his luck just ran out." Izumo agreed. "It's gonna take more than a flashy entrance to survive this one."

"Yeah, it's gonna be painful. Going up against one of the Hyuga Clan, he doesn't have a chance in Hell, even with the Rinnegan." Kotetsu replied.

Back on the arena floor, Naruto and Neji were ready to start. All they waited for now, was for Genma to give the word, and they would go at it. Time seemed to stop as the Rinnegan bored into the Byakugan defiantly, one daring the other to back down.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Neji asked with a sneer in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm gonna kick your ass, especially for what you did to Hinata. She didn't deserve that." Naruto said darkly with a growl as he slammed his fist into his palm and narrowed his eyes.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No, it's a promise, asshole."

Neji smirked and got into a defensive stance, Byakugan activated.

"You seem so sure of yourself now. Hmph, I can't wait to see that look of despair on your face when you learn that your foolish vow to pummel me into the ground is impossible to keep."

"Enough talk!" As Naruto yelled, he let out a burst of chakra that could be felt all the way up in the stands, causing another strong gust of wind to blow through the arena. "We're gonna settle this the old fashioned way! Now show me what you've got!"

Genma looked between the two adversaries as they exchanged words, felt the burst of chakra, and couldn't help but smirk. You could cut the tension between them with a knife. Smirk still in place, Genma placed his hand between both boys.

"Alright, Naruto Uzumaki vs Neji Hyuga! Let the first match..._begin_!"

Genma raised his hand from between the two boys, and with that, it was on.

* * *

With an incredible burst of speed, Naruto teleported within a few inches from Neji's position and came out swinging, throwing a punch with enough strength to break Neji's jaw. Unfortunately, the attack didn't hit its mark, as Neji effortlessly blocked it away, throwing Naruto off balance.

'_He's fast, I'll give him that much.' _Neji thought to himself as he blocked a kick aimed at his head.

Using Naruto's momentum against him, Neji pushed Naruto back, causing the blonde to do a 360 in midair before landing a foot away.

Pissed off, Naruto lunged at Neji again and began unleashing a flurry of lefts and rights, all of which Neji parried with absolute ease. Although Naruto appeared to be moving too fast for the untrained eye to keep up, Neji could see Naruto's moves as if the blonde was moving in slow motion, giving him more than enough time to counter. Even though his attacks clearly weren't working, Naruto kept attacking anyway, hoping that at least one hit would get through. Unfortunately his hope was in vain.

As Naruto launched another kick, this time aimed at Neji's neck, Neji dodged to the side on Naruto's undefended side. Just as Naruto spun around to mount a defense, Neji thrust his palm into Naruto's stomach and released a strong burst of chakra which sent the blonde bouncing through the dirt before finally coming to a stop a good number of feet away.

"Naruto, you idiot! Straight forward attacks aren't going to work on him!" Kiba yelled from up in the stands. Honestly, was Naruto_ trying _to make a fool of himself?

Naruto held his stomach as he slowly got to his feet, already gasping for breath.

'_Kiba's right. I'm too riled up. I need to calm down and think before act if I'm gonna win. Obviously, he's an expert at close range fighting. I got off easy this time, but if I keep fucking up like that, he'll close all my chakra points before I know it. If that happens, there goes my jutsu. In which case, I'll have to use long range techniques from here on out unless I can find some openings in his defense, a blind spot maybe.' _Naruto thought to himself as he regained his composure.

"Now do you understand? It's hopeless, no matter what you do." Neji taunted as he readied himself for Naruto's next attack. He'd decided to be lenient and gave the boy only a small taste of his power.

"Get real, we're just getting started." Naruto said as he made a couple of hand seals. "Let's see if you can hit me if you can't see me! Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

Suddenly, the entire arena floor became shrouded in a thick cloud of fog made completely out of Naruto's chakra, effectively hiding the battlefield from view. Naruto vanished within this fog completely and began to plan his next move, certain that he was safe from Neji's all-seeing kekkei genkai.

"The kid is pretty slick. He's most likely using the mist for the Silent Homicide Technique." Torn said as he waited to see what would happen next. "If Naruto-san's plan goes accordingly, this fight will be over in the next second. Heh, this is starting to get good."

"It's also the same jutsu he used to incapacitate Akamaru back at the Preliminaries." Kiba added from beside Torn as memories of that fight flashed through his mind. If Naruto was using that move now, then this fight was over, hands down.

Within the actual mist itself, Naruto sensed that Neji still hadn't moved from his pot, apparently trying to pinpoint where Naruto was. However, it was pointless. The fog was so thick, one could not see their hand even a few inches from their face. All he had to know was move in for the kill, and this match would be over.

'_Hmm, he's hidden himself well. Since this mist is made from his chakra, I cannot pinpoint where he is by sensing him.' _Neji thought as he looked around, but seeing nothing but fog. All the while, Naruto watched Neji through the fog with his Rinnegan vision. When he saw Neji turn his back, Naruto decided now was the time to strike. Reaching into one of the pockets of his flak jacket, Naruto pulled out a kunai and silently moved through the fog with the grace of a shark gliding through the ocean toward it's prey.

Once he was right up behind Neji, Naruto slipped the kunai to the jugular vein in the Hyuga prodigy's neck.

'_It's over.'_

At that exact moment, Neji released his chakra from all the chakra points in his body and began to rapidly spin in place.

"Eight Trigrams: Palm Giant Rotation!"

Neji's rapid rotation created a massive, impenetrable shield of chakra around him which hurled Naruto away from Neji with great force and sending him skidding through the dirt, dropping his kunai along the way. Not only that, the rapid rotation also created an artificial fan which quickly dissipated the fog within a few seconds so that not a single trace of it remained on the battlefield. After he'd stopped spinning, Neji turned to face Naruto and smirked at seeing the look of complete disbelief written on the part of his face not hidden by the face mask, a look that was shared by Kiba, Sakura, Ino, the Fuma Clan, and the other candidates watching from the balcony.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you think you'd won?" Neji taunted.

"No way! Do you have eyes in the back of your head or something? Cause there's no way you could've seen me through the mist, no way at all!" Naruto hollered. That attack should've worked. Neji should be dead right now from massive blood loss.

"Your Hidden Mist Technique maybe able to fool the eyes of others, but it can't fool _my _eyes. The Byakugan gives me a 360 degree field of x-ray vision. I can see all around me all at once. That is what allowed me to see through the mist and see exactly where you were. All I had to do was wait for you to move in closer. That jutsu may be able to bypass the Sharingan, but it's practically useless against the Byakugan." Neji revealed before giving Naruto a confident smirk.

Naruto's mouth dropped underneath his mask.

'_360 degree x-ray vision? Are you serious? That means...this guy doesn't have a blind spot! It's almost similar to the Rinnegan, except I need shadow clones or a summoning in order to see around me. Damn it all!'_

"Now you see, don't you? There's no way you can win. I'm being nice right now by giving you a chance to back out. So I suggest you take advantage of my generosity and withdraw now, while you still have a chance. My kindness can only go but so far."

As they watched Naruto be rendered helpless in only a few minutes, people in the stands had begun to talk again. This fight was going exactly as they thought it would. Neji was simply seeing through all of Naruto's attacks, and making the blonde look like a joke. If things continued like this, then this fight would soon be over.

"I don't believe it, he actually saw through the Hidden Mist Jutsu! I didn't know it was even possible." Angela exclaimed.

"You're telling me. Unless Naruto-san thinks of something, he isn't going to last much longer. This 'Neji Hyuga" has power even I have never before seen." Errol agreed.

Back on the arena floor, Naruto was standing beside himself. Neji stood only a few feet away from him, waiting to see what Naruto would do next, as was everyone else.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto rose to his feet and locked Neji into a glare so intense, it almost rivaled the Uchiha glare. There was no way in hell he was going to forfeit. In fact, the thought never even crossed his mind. At that moment, Naruto became even more determined to take Neji down, and he would do so, or die trying.

**The match has only just begun, and things are already going in Neji's favor. How will Naruto defeat an opponent who practically DOES have eyes in the back of his head? Stay tuned and find out in the next chapter. Read and Review.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story, except for the Angela character. I do own her.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 40**

Kabuto Yakushi made not a sound as he effortlessly hunted the ANBU Black Ops agent he was supposed to kill. The unsuspecting victim had simply been on reconnaissance, scouting the area for anything out of the ordinary. Before he could utter a sound, he was grabbed from behind and his jugular vein was then quickly sliced in three places with a chakra scalpel. The agent's cries for help were muffled as he choked on his own blood, which then cut off his air supply and causing him to quickly suffocate within a few seconds. The attack happened so fast, the agent never even knew what had hit him.

After stabbing the body with a couple of kunai to make sure the guy was dead, Kabuto removed the victim's mask with a prominent smirk. The hazel eyes stared up him blankly, and the entire area around his mouth was covered in fresh blood.

So far, everything was going as planned. All of the ANBU in the surrounding area had now been killed, and it was now almost time to move in. Currently, Kabuto was not needed at the moment, so he had some free time on his hands. It was then he noticed who was fighting in the arena and his smirk grew even bigger.

"Put on a good show for me, will you Naruto? Cause you know, I have a tough job to do, and I'd like to be entertained while I'm doing it." Kabuto said to himself sarcastically as he looked down at the Chunin Exams Stadium below him.

After placing the corpse into a special scroll where he stored his corpses, Kabuto hid himself among the leaves of the tree he was in to watch the rest of Naruto's match until it was time for the final phase.

* * *

"_Water Style: Water Shockwave!_"

After clapping his hands together and concentrating his chakra, Naruto used the moisture in the air to create a spiraling vortex of water around him. With another burst of his chakra, Naruto caused the water vortex to explode out from the top in the form of a massive tsunami wave. Alarmed, Neji turned and quickly ran towards the wall at the other end of the arena, reaching it just in time and running up it vertically, just as the man-made tsunami slammed into the arena floor.

Doing a beautiful acrobatic backflip, Neji landed smoothly on the water's surface as it quickly rose and turned to face Naruto who stood a number of feet from him.

'_It seems he's managed to alter the entire battlefield with that one jutsu. Impressive.__' _Neji said to himself in silent disbelief. The entire arena floor was now filled with water so deeply that even the trees on the arena floor barely poked out over the surface.

"Your attack failed." Neji taunted as he took a defensive stance. "Pretty pitiful, to say the last."

"Actually, I wasn't aiming for you!" Naruto said as he made a couple of hand seals. "_Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!_"

As Naruto made the last hand seal, two blobs of water rose up and formed themselves into two exact copies of the original caster. The clones staggered forward a little clumsily before shooting forward with a burst of speed. Bracing himself, Neji dodged to the side as one of the water clones threw a handful of shuriken at him. Before he could go on the offensive, Neji was forced to block as the same water clone that threw the kunai delivered a roundhouse kicked aimed at his head. The clone then threw a few more impressive kicks before having his legs kicked out from under him.

Knowing that he was at a disadvantage, Clone #1 back flipped away to safety and avoided Neji's next attack. Before he could go after him, Neji's attention was drawn to Clone #2 who did an amazing flip over his head. After whirling back around, Clone #2 lunged at Neji with a number of punches, kicks and elbow strikes aimed at the stomach and face, all of which Neji managed to succesfully block. After jumping back, Clone #2 did a front flip and attempted to bring the heel of his foot down on Neji's head. However, Neji caught his foot, swung him around, and flung him into the Clone #1, causing them to disperse back into water. Luckily though, Clone #2 was able to mark Neji's hand with the jutsu formula for the _Flying Thunder God Technique _before being flung away.

Not wanting to give Neji time to regain himself, Naruto began to go through another sequence of hand seals.

"_Fire Style: Flame Bullet" _After completing the last hand seal, Naruto created a little toad oil in his mouth with his chakra. Naruto then spit it out and ignited it, creating a fireball that whizzed toward Neji at an alarming rate of speed.

Unfortunately, Neji was able to react quick enough in order to use the _Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation_ to block the incoming fiery projectile.

Slightly frustrated, Naruto created another water clone who then charged at Neji while riding ontop of a small wave created from his chakra. Seeing what was coming, Neji stopped spinning and gathered chakra in his hands for his next attack.

"_Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!" _Neji yelled before unleashing a wave of air from one of his palms.

Using his chakra, the clone was able to form a small shield of water in front of him, which successfully blocked each wave of air Neji sent his way. The air collided with the water shield so forcefully, that the clone was almost knocked off balance by some of the impacts.

After coming within close enough range, the clone then lunged forward with a hard flying kick, which Neji barely managed to block. Upon touching the surface of the water, the clone then kicked water into Neji's face, allowing him to kick Neji in the face repeatedly before delivering a hard, solid punch to the Hyuga's jaw and kicking him away.

Luckily, Neji was able to back flip and catch himself at the last moment.

"Now, your mine!" Naruto roared as he used the _Flying Thunder God Technique_ to teleport directly in front of Neji, just as the Hyuga was wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Before Neji could react, Naruto struck him in the face several hard times before kicking the Hyuga in the chest as hard as he could. This time, Neji was unable to catch himself and he slammed into the surface of the water before sinking under.

'_This is unreal! The rate of the battle is going too fast! Neji has never had to fight someone who can move this quickly.' _Tenten thought to herself. '_Neji's eyes may be able to keep up with Naruto's movements, but his body can't. Neji's reflexes simply aren't fast enough to counter-attack. If this continues, Neji might actually...'_

"Okay, time to wrap this up." Naruto said as he rapidly went through another series of hand seals. "_Earth Style: Antlion Prison Jutsu."_

After Naruto had completed the correct sequence of hand seals, a massive, gaping sinkhole opened up on the arena floor from underwater, creating a giant whirlpool on the water's surface as the water was drained. After a few minutes, all the water had drained and only Naruto stood on the wet arena floor. The gaping sinkhole then closed itself back up again, leading everyone to assume that Neji must've been sucked in.

"It looks like Naruto-san wins." Torn said.

After a few more moments, Genma jumped down from the holding area and went to investigate the battlefield. When Neji still failed to make an appearance after at least 5 minutes, Genma made his decision.

"No...it can't be." Tenten said to herself, on the verge of crying. "Neji can't lose."

"Since Neji Hyuga has failed to make a reappearance, the winner of the match is-"

Without warning, Neji erupted up from the ground in front of Naruto and executed the _Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation _in midair, sending Naruto hurling back and bouncing in the dirt.

"What the hell? It can't be! Naruto had the win for sure!" Kiba hollered from his seat.

"Yes! I knew Neji couldn't be defeated that easily!" Tenten cried in relief. '_There's not a Genin alive who can defeat Neji, not one.'_

"Damn it! I was sure Naruto-san had won!" Errol said angrily, slamming his fist on the arm of his eat in frustration.

On the battlefield, Naruto had managed to pick himself up and was sending a glare Neji's way.

"It can't be. That hole was deep enough to go to the deepest levels of the Earth. The pressure should've crushed you to death, so how did you...?" Naruto said before letting his voice trail off.

Neji smirked as he panted.

"One word: substitution." Neji revealed as he stood up straight after catching his breath. "What will it take to get you to understand? You simply cannot win, no matter what you do. A failure will always be a failure, that's something you can never change. I do congratulate you though, for pushing me this far. However, this is where it ends for you. For you're in range, and you can't escape my _Eight__ Trigrams_."

"What are you talking about? _Eight__ Trigrams_?" Naruto asked as he slowly rose to his feet, grimacing in pain.

Instead of answering right away, Neji only smirked.

"_Gentle Fist Art: 8 Trigrams: 64 Palms._" Neji called out as he got into a stance that was different from all the others. Before Naruto could inquire about what he was doing, Neji charged at him, spun around, and struck.

As he came around, Neji struck Naruto two consecutive times in two of his chakra points, thus closing them off. Each hit sent a shock throughout Naruto's body, causing his body to stiffen and leaving him wide open for the next series of attacks. With Naruto temporarily stunned, Neji struck him two more times than before and closed off four more points. Increasing his pace, Neji struck Naruto four more consecutive times and closed off a total of eight chakra points in the third series of attacks. Each hit caused Naruto to stagger back, screaming as agonizing pain coursed throughout his body. Not letting up, Neji struck Naruto again, this time closing a total of sixteen of his chakra points. On his fifth go, Neji struck Naruto sixteen consecutive times in under a few seconds, closing off thirty-two points. Finally, on the last go, Naruto was struck thirty-two consecutive times in succession, closing off all sixty-four of his chakra points.

The last hit hurled Naruto 10 ft. from Neji's position, causing him to hit the dirt with a loud thud, where he laid unmoving.

Up in the stands, Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga Clan, watched the entire scene in awe. The_ Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms Technique_, along with the _Air Palm _and _Palm Rotation_, was a jutsu that only those of the main house of the Hyuga Clan were allowed to learn. Neji, however, bypassed this restriction simply by learning all three techniques on his own. Upon that realization, Hiashi now understood why Neji was considered a genius within the clan.

'_To think, the Hyuga's kekkei genkai would find its purest form in this child from a lesser branch of the clan, a child banished from the line of succession. Truly, my brother, you have been denied what is rightfully yours.' _Hiashi thought to himself, referring to Neji's father.

Back on the battlefield, Naruto was struggling to move. With each breath he took, his body screamed in agony. Not too far away, Neji towered over him like an ominous shadow, watching Naruto's pathetic attempt to recover.

"I have now closed off all sixty-four of your chakra points. You're lucky to even still be breathing." Neji said coldly. The match was over, and he'd won. All that was left now was for Genma to declare Neji the winner. Even still, Neji couldn't help but to add insult to injury.

"Well, it must be frustrating to realize how utterly hopeless it all was, this little dream of yours. You actually thought you could become Hokage. You thought you could succeed through just hard work alone, but that was only an illusion.

As Naruto listened to Neji speak, he could fill that undying determination begin to well up inside of him with each word. After coming all this way, he wasn't about to fail. He was going to win and prove Neji wrong, he was going to prove that even someone who is thought of as a failure can succeed. If not for himself, Naruto would do it for Hinata, Rock Lee, and all the ones who'd been told "_you can't do it_." With this inhuman determination, Naruto was able to rise to his feet without any sort hindrance, much to Neji's dismay.

"Impossible! How could he...?" Neji let his voice trail off. Out of all the shinobi he'd faced in the past, not even the strongest of them had managed to get back up after that attack. So how could this kid, this _failure_, shake it off as though it were nothing?

What perplexed Neji even more was the fact that Naruto's Rinnegan was still active, even though his chakra points were closed. Unknown to Neji, the Rinnegan did not use chakra as a fuel source; meaning that although the Rinnegan requires chakra to activate once awakened, it does not require chakra to stay active, like the Sharingan and Byakugan do. This is how the Rikudo Sennin was able to keep his active throughout almost his entire life, and why Naruto's was still turned on.

"Just stay down already. Don't you realize you're only making it harder for yourse-"

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto hollered, cutting Neji off. "I'm not doing for this for myself. I can't forgive you for what you did to her, your own cousin? You tore her down with your stupid mind games, even after she'd worked so hard just to get this far! You mocked her, calling her a failure, and going on about the great Hyuga Clan, main household, branch families, and all that other crap! It's not her fault she was born into the main household and you were born into the side branch! You resent her for something she can't control! All she ever wanted was your respect! That's what she was fighting for, even though it almost killed her! Yet you still continue to disrespect her!"

As Naruto's anger grew, he was faintly aware of the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra seeping through. It swirled around him like a whirlwind, creating gusts of wind that swept around the entire arena floor, forcing Neji to take a few steps back. Although, he did not just step back because of the wind. No, instead, it was from both surprise and fear. Both Neji and everyone else in the arena could practically feel Naruto's anger, which was still continuing to grow by the minute.

'_This chakra...it feels...ominous, sinister even.' _Neji thought, visibly shuddering from the cold feeling he was getting. As he stared in awe at Naruto, Neji noticed something else startling with his Byakugan. _'His chakra points have reopened! But how...? What kind of chakra is this, and more importantly, where did it come from? Is it even chakra at all?'_

"Nothing on this green Earth gives you the right to call someone else a failure! Nothing gives you the right to decide what someone can and can't be! We make our own destinies, our own decisions! Their not chosen for us!"

With that last word, Naruto teleported forward without warning, and plowed his fist into Neji's stomach. A mixture and blood and spit flew from Neji's mouth from the the impact. As Neji doubled over, Naruto then took the opportunity to drop kick Neji in the face, sending he Hyuga slamming into tree with sickening impact.

After going through a sequence of hand seals, Naruto was able to condense his wind chakra to form a massive demonic-looking claw which extended from Naruto's right hand toward Neji. Before Neji could move, he was then grabbed by this demonic claw and plowed into wall behind him with enough force to kill him, creating a nice sized hole. After hitting his intended target, Naruto dispersed the wind claw and panted as he and the other spectators waited to see what would happen next.

When nothing else happened, Naruto, assuming that he'd won, was just about to power down when he suddenly felt Neji's chakra signature appear behind him.

"I thought I told you? It's not your destiny to win!"

Before his opponent had a chance to react, Neji kicked Naruto into the air and was able to successfully execute the _Air Palm Technique, _sending powerful bursts of air slamming into Naruto's body and keeping the blonde suspended in the air. As Neji sent up another blast of air, he was caught completely by surprise when Naruto suddenly vanished into thin air.

"And I thought I told you to shut the hell up!"

Using the _Flying Thunder God Technique_, Naruto teleported behind Neji and lifted him up on his shoulders sideways and fell onto his back while spinning 90 degrees, driving Neji back-first into the ground, all in one motion.

"What a minute. Isn't that one of _your_ moves, Ino?" Sakura asked from her seat beside her blonde-haired girlfriend, her eyes narrowed

"Sure is. I taught it him not too long ago." Ino said with a satisfied smirk. "See? I am capable of teaching Naruto-kun something useful."

Back on the battlefield, Naruto and Neji were locked in a fist fight, both slugging the other as hard as they could. Each time one would throw a hit, the other would throw one just as hard. Both were bruised and bleeding from open wounds. As Neji threw another punch, Naruto countered and caught it with his hand. Then he captured the other one. Soon, both were locked in a test of strength, trying to overpower the other with raw strength.

In the end though, Neji was able to prevail. With a cry of effort Neji pushed as hard as he possibly could and was able to slowly, but gradually, bend Naruto back, leaving the crowd to stare in amazement at the testament of strength.

Knowing that he was at his end, Naruto broke away and backflipped away to create some distance.

'_Damn it. I hardly have any strength left. I have to take him down with my next attack.' _Naruto thought to himself as he panted in exhaustion. All of his own chakra had been exhausted, leaving him with only the power of the Nine Tailed Fox. '_Kyubi, give me a little more chakra, just enough to take this guy out.'_

"**Hmph. You runt, you really are weak! Out of all the vessels I have had in the past, none of them ran out of chakra as fast as you! I'll give you more of my power, but you had better be more grateful to me in the future.**" The Nine Tailed Fox said from within Naruto's subconscious.

As the orange chakra began to swirl around him, Naruto clenched his fist as he felt the power course through his veins. He had enough for one last attack, so he had to make the best of it. Concentrating, Naruto formed the _Rasengan_ in his hand and began to infuse the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra into it. This was only his second time doing this, the first time being during his training with Jiraiya at Mount Myoboku.

Fortunately, Naruto was successfully able to complete the fusion, as the Rasengan now had a purple color rather than it's usual bluish white color. He had only enough chakra to to make one, so you he had to make sure it hit home. With his attack ready, Naruto let out a cry of rage and charged forward, tearing up the ground as he ran along.

'_That jutsu...it's the same one he used to defeat Kiba back in the Preliminaries. However, this version is far stronger than the one he originally used. If that were to hit, there'd be nothing left of me at all.' _Neji thought to himself as he watched Naruto charge at him with his Byakugan. '_He's moving too fast for me to evade, so the Rotation is all I've got left.'_

"It may be the Hyuga's way to cave into destiny, but it sure as hell ain't mine! If you're so sure fate will see you through, then just stand there and take it!" Naruto yelled as he increased his speed.

"Don't you get it? It's pointless! You can never be Hokage, nor can you ever hope to win! You _fool_!" Neji yelled back as he began to spin rapidly in place, thus creating that impenetrable shield of chakra.

With a loud boom, the _Palm Rotation _collided the _Demon Rasengan _in what one would call "_the collision of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object_." The two forces fought with each other, trying to outlast the other. The power radiating from the point where the two attacks met could be felt throughout the entire arena. Everyone held their breath as they waited to see who would prevail, not even blinking for they were afraid they would miss something.

"Come on! Push through!" Naruto hollered, pushing with all of his strength.

Feeling himself being pushed back, Naruto let out an inhuman cry of rage and pushed even harder, causing the _Demon Rasengan _to explode outward from pent up force. Neji spun faster, trying to beat back the explosion as best he could until it could die down. However, it was all in vain. Neji let out a cry of surprise as the explosion overwhelmed his _Rotation_, blasting him away and seemingly incinerating his body.

"No way! He broke through!" Tenten exclaimed in disbelief. The _Rotation _was as impenetrable as Gaara's _Sand Shield_. It was thought to be impossible to bypass, yet Naruto had just made the _impossible_ possible.

After a few seconds, the explosion died down and a bunch of little black embers were left floating in the air. A deafening silence filled the arena. The only sound was Naruto's panting as he nearly collapsed to his knees.

'_N-Neji...?_' Tenten thought to herself in disbelief, fearing the worst.

"Is...is Naruto-san victorious?" Damas asked.

Nobody could answer.

After waiting a few minutes, Genma jumped down on the battlefield again from the holding area and went to survey the damage. All that was left was a long black scorch mark from where Neji had been vaporized. With that being said, the winner was decided.

"The winner of the match, by sudden death, is Na-"

Before Genma could get finished saying Naruto's name, Neji's hand burst up from the scorched ground. Everyone then watched, wide-eyed, as Neji pulled himself up from the ground, breathing heavily as he slowly rose to his feet and turned to face Naruto.

"No...way. I...don't believe it. Even after all that...he was still able to substitute at the last minute. There's just no stopping this guy." Naruto muttered as he panted, closing one eye when sweat dropped into it.

The two warriors faced each other, panting heavily, and waiting to see what the other would do. Time seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath as they waited to see who would make the next move.

They didn't have to wait long.

"Damn you...Naruto...Uzumaki. It can't...be...pos...possible." Neji forced out as his Byakugan deactivated.

With nothing left in the tank, Neji first fell to his knees before falling face first into the dirt. Genma waited to see what would happen next, just to make sure so that he wouldn't be cut off a third time.

"I...I...I...can't move." Neji managed to choke out, though it came out a little muffled. Either way, Genma heard it.

"The winner of the match, by knockout, is Naruto Uzumaki!" Genma announced.

For the first few seconds, all was quiet. However, the heavy silence was broken in the next instant as everybody within the arena stood up and began to cheer all at once, which surprised the hell out of Naruto. Assuming that nobody wanted him to win, Naruto expected to get a barrage of insults and boos from the audience. Instead, however, they were actually cheering him!

Up in the stands, the Fuma Clan practically knocked each over as they all stood and applauded their champion, earning them a laugh from Naruto. Out of all the thousands of people cheering in the stands, Ino and Sakura were, without a doubt, the loudest. Both yelled in delight at the same time when Naruto was announced the winner, startling most of the people around them.

Tenten, however, sat there with her mouth hanging wide open. For the first time since being partnered up with the Hyuga genius, this was first time she'd ever seen him lose. Not only that, Naruto was officially the first shinobi to ever overpower the _Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation Technique, _something that was sure to go down in the record books. Even though she was a little disappointed that Neji had lost, she still applauded Naruto anyway for not giving up, even when practically nobody believed he could win.

The whole time though, Naruto couldn't stop smiling. In fact, he was smiling so much, his face was starting to hurt. As he ran to the steps that would take him up to the holding area, Naruto blew kisses to all of his fans, not being able to resist the urge to show off a little.

'_Well, you'd have to see it to believe it. Even after that fight, he still has the energy to run around. I've gotta admit, that kid has amazing stamina.' _Genma said as he watched Naruto stop and flex his muscles for the audience.

"I see it, but I still don't believe it. Naruto actually defeated _the _Neji Hyuga. And here I was thinking Naruto was the same as me: one of the dorky, uncool guys. Now everybody is saying he's gonna go and make something big of himself, which is just great. Now he's even got me doubting I can beat him. Man, I've never felt so depressed. What a drag." Shikamaru said from the holding area as he watched Naruto continue to show off some more.

'_Remarkable. He's able to draw upon the power of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox so easily, even being able to fuse it's chakra with the Rasengan. Congratulations, Naruto Uzumaki, you have truly come quite far.' _Hiruzen thought from his seat up in the Hokage Box.

After giving a few more bows and blowing a few more kisses, Naruto finally made his way up to the holding area, beaming proudly and receiving a pat on the back by Shikamaru.

* * *

After the medical team came and carried Neji to the infirmary ward, the crowd waited in anticipation for the next match to begin. Honestly, it was the only other match they were actually looking forward to seeing: **Sasuke Uchiha vs Gaara**.

For the first 20 minutes, everybody was fine. They were still pretty excited over Naruto's unexpected victory, so that became their topic of their conversations in order to keep themselves oocupied. However, after 15 minutes, they began to become a little restless. Almost a full hour later, and the crowd was in an uproar. Their patience had officially worn thin, and it now took the combined effort of the Jonin and Chunin stationed in the arena to try and control the angry mob of people.

At this point, Naruto's worry had returned with full force. All sorts of scenarios began to go through his head all at once.

'_Where **are **you, Sasuke? He isn't still pissed off, is he?' _Naruto thought to himself in concern. Then again, this was _Sasuke _he was talking about, and it wasn't uncommon for the cold Uchiha to hold grudges. But even still, this was taking things a little extreme.

Up in the Hokage Box, Hiruzen furrowed his brows in frustration. He'd went against the rules and allowed Sasuke extra time, cutting it close as it was. The rules stated that if a candidate is not present when his/her name is called, they are disqualified on the spot. Sasuke should've been long disqualified by now, but Hiruzen cared for the boy and gave him extra time to get here. However, with the crowd growing more and more out control with each passing minute, he was running out of options.

Caught up with his troubling thoughts, Hiruzen did not sense Raido Namiashi appear beside him until the man whispered in his ear.

"Lord Hokage, there has still been no word on Sasuke. Also, there is still the threat of Orochimaru lurking about within Konoha. Please, Lord Hokage, you must disqualify Sasuke now before anyone starts anything." Raido informed.

Hiruzen repressed a sigh, and instead, closed his eyes as he listened to the impatient outbursts from the audience:

"_Start the next match already! Hurry up"_

_"We wanna see the Uchiha boy's match!"_

_"Start the match sometime **this** century, you retards!"_

After contemplating with himself for a few seconds, Hiruzen made his decision and gave an affirming nod to Raido. He simply could not give Sasuke anymore extra time.

"I have no other choice, then." Hiruzen said in grave, saddened tone. "Sasuke Uchiha...is disqualified."

**Please read and review.**

**Also, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Before we begin the story, I'd like to apologize for the long wait. I've had to study my ass off for exams, and I've had little time to write. Also, just to give you a heads up, this chapter will be much shorter than the other recent ones. This is simply because I can't think of anything different to write for Sasuke and Gaara's first initial battle, so I will not write out most of it. I'll pick up at the end. Also, the yaoi will return shortly. Our favorite pair is having a little trouble right now, but they'll get through it with time. I deeply apologize for the long wait and the shortness of the chapter, and I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me. I feel really bad about giving you guys such a short chapter after you have waited for so long.**

**More Than Comrades**

**Chapter 41**

Shikamaru sighed as he nonchalantly walked towards Temari, who was now caught in his _Shadow Possession Jutsu_. Normally, after finally having your opponent in the palm of your hand, your supposed to feel confident and hot-headed. Shikamaru, however, felt the exact opposite: irritation. He'd already decided that the next time he saw Sasuke and Naruto, he was going to wring both of their necks after this was over. After all, this was their fault anyway. How, you ask? Well, it's quite simple.

Even after Naruto's win against Neji Hyuga, Sasuke still had not shown up yet. The Third Hokage had done everything in his power to give Sasuke a chance, even going so far as to bend the rules and give Sasuke extra time. However, when Sasuke still failed to make an appearance, Hiruzen had no choice but to disqualify him. At least, that would've been the case had the Fourth Kazekage (the leader of Sunagakure) not intervened. He reasoned that Sasuke's match was the main reason why so many people, including the daimyo from the different lands all over the world, had come to the Chunin Exams in the first place. If they were denied Sasuke's match, it was sure to piss them off, and pissing off a large number of important people would give Konoha a bad image. After thinking it over, Hiruzen agreed and announced that Sasuke Uchiha's absence was to be excused, much to Raido's chagrin.

It was then decided that the other matches were to continue as planned until Sasuke arrived, which pissed everyone off a little more because they would have to wait even longer for Sasuke's match, though they were still happy for the fact that Sasuke wouldn't be disqualified.

The next scheduled match was the fight between Shino and Kankuro. Unfortunately, Kankuro forfeited, due to to his own reasons. This succeeded in pissing the crowd off even more than they already were. After having to wait for almost a full hour, they still weren't going to see any action. Of course, they didn't hesitate to voice their displeasure. Even Shino was a bit pissed, but he played it off and remained his calm, silent self.

This series of events is what led to Shikamaru's match against Temari coming much earlier than expected, much to Shikamaru's annoyance and dismay. Originally, he'd planned to forfeit like Kankuro did. In his opinion, the spectators didn't deserve to see anything from they way they were acting. In fact, it would satisfy him greatly just to see them even more pissed off. Unfortunately, just as he was about to raise his hand and forfeit, Naruto gave him a "hard" pat on the back, which knocked the lazy youth over the railing. In all honesty, Naruto was just trying to give Shikamaru a little encouragement. But either way, he'd just ruined Shikamaru's chances of getting out of this mess.

Then again, Shikamaru figured he'd just lay on the ground and be disqualified, thereby saving him the effort of having to fight. However, that idea was ruined when Temari charged at him, forcing him to go on the defensive for most of the fight, since he really didn't want to fight anyway. It had taken patience and a lot of planning ahead, but after 15 minutes of manipulating the flow of the battle, Shikamaru was finally able to get Temari where he wanted her, allowing him to cleverly trap her in the _Shadow Possession Jutsu _without her even realizing it until the jutsu hit her.

So now here he was, exhausted and bruised, ready to finally end this whole thing. Temari was in his grasp. All he had to do now was deal the final blow. In the end, however, he did something that was vintage Shikamaru: he quit. After all, he was tired, out of chakra, and finishing Temari off would require putting forth even more effort than he already had. The spectators, who had watched in amazement as Shikamaru manipulated the entire battle, erupted in angry protests as Shikamaru released the _Shadow Possession Jutsu_.

"What the hell? Why did you let me go?" Temari asked in a mixture of relief, confusion, and annoyance.

"Because I used up all of my chakra on the _Shadow Possession Jutsu_. I was good for about another ten seconds, and then that was it. It's a real bummer though, cause I'd already planned out the next two hundred moves in my head. Anyway, my chakra is low, so to hell with this. Besides, if I were to win, it would just mean more work anyway. I'm done here." Shikamaru explained lazily as he rubbed his sore shoulder, ignoring the insults he was getting from the crowd.

As he listened to Shikamaru explain his reason for quitting, Genma couldn't help but smirk.

'_These kids these days are something else.' _Genma thought as he raised his hand and declared Temari the winner.

* * *

"I have to admit, Naruto-kun isn't the only talented one taking these exams. The one called Shikamaru is worth looking at as well. " Damas commented as he watched Naruto jump down from the holding area and begin yelling at Shikamaru for quitting when he could've won.

"I'll say. That Shikamaru kid makes even "know-it-all" Torn look like a dumbass." Jinx replied before he received a hard slap to the back of his head from Torn himself.

"Well, I believe this wraps it up then. Time for us to go." Errol said as he stood from his seat and stretched.

"Hold your horses there, mate. There's still one more match to go." Kleiver said as he yanked Errol back into his seat.

"Speaking of which, _that _match should be starting right about now." Angela agreed.

Sure enough, the rest of the arena was starting to get fired up as well. After waiting for this long, the match they had all been dying to see was finally scheduled to begin. The arena was filled with the excited chats of the other spectators.

"_Finally, the one fight we've been waiting for! Uchiha is next!"_

_"But's who's this Gaara guy he's up against?"_

_"Don't know. But whoever he is, he's fucked! Cause the Uchiha kid is going to wipe the floor with him!"_

_"Speaking of which, **where **is the Uchiha kid?"_

_"Yeah, is he gonna show up or not? C'mon already! I didn't miss two days just for him not to show up!"_

"You know, I actually agree with these people. What the hell could Sasuke be doing that's holding him up for this long?" Torn asked rhetorically, his arms folded over his chest.

Up in the Hokage Box, Hiruzen was just about at the end of his rope. He'd done everything in his power to keep Sasuke in the exams, going so far as to extend the deadline twice. However, even that had been in vain. With no other options, Hiruzen was set to officially disqualify Sasuke when the Fourth Kazekage intervened yet again. He argued that they should wait at least ten more minutes. After all, since they'd already waited for this long, then surely ten more minutes couldn't hurt. Hiruzen thought it over and, after agreeing with the Kazekage, instructed Raido to relay the information to Genma. After Raido completed his task, all there was to do now was wait.

Five minutes later, and there was still no sign of Sasuke. The audience grew more and more restless the longer time went on. They couldn't leave, so all they could do was sit there and complain. On a brighter note, Rock Lee and Might Guy arrived...but still no Sasuke.

'_30 seconds left.' _Genma thought after taking out his pocket watch and taking a look at it.

"Grrrr! Where is he? If he doesn't show up, I'll kill him! I swear I'll kill him!" Naruto threatened as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

Worse yet, with each passing second, the crowd grew rowdier. They shouted, they cussed, they chanted, they stomped their feet. The spectators used every way, shape, and form to show their displeasure of having to wait.

"I bet he's planning some big, flashy entrance or something. Well, I'm not gonna be impressed." Naruto said to himself angrily, pacing back and forth.

'_Time's up. I guess that's that.' _Genma thought as he took one last look at his pocket watch before clearing his throat. "Alright! The time limit has expired! Therefore, Sasuke Uchiha is hereby dis-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Genma was interrupted by a powerful gust of wind that blew all around the battlefield. As if that wasn't strange enough, a tornado of leaves began to swirl in the center of the battlefield. It picked up more and more speed before a large cloud of smoke appeared, the gust of wind disappearing as fast as it came.

Every mouth in the arena dropped as the cloud of smoke disappeared, revealing Sasuke and Kakashi standing with each other, back-to-back. Kakashi wore his usual attire, consisting of the navy blue Konoha ninja uniform, flak jacket, and face mask that covered the lower part of his face. His Sharingan Eye, like always, was covered and his hands were buried in his pockets.

Everyone's attention, however, was focused on Sasuke. He wore a sleeveless dark gray shirt, halfway unzipped so that his toned stomach and chest showed underneath, along with a pair of matching pants and bandages on his wrists, under which were storing seals where he could store ninja tools. Lastly, he wore bandages around his forehead in place of his Konoha headband. His arms were crossed over his chest, pure confidence and power radiating off of him in waves. His face showed no emotion.

"Sorry we're little bit late. You wouldn't believe the traffic." Kakashi said with a smile underneath his mask, evidenced by his visible eye closing.

"Hmph. Like master, like pupil, even down to your lousy sense of time. Anyway, you arrived just in time." Genma said, burying his hands in his pockets also. He then looked at the individual standing with his back to Kakashi. His eyes were closed, arms folded over his chest, and his head was rather downcast.

"I take it your Sasuke Uchiha, correct?"

Sasuke opened his and turned his head only halfway to give Genma a sideways look.

"That's right."

There was a short moment of silence before the entire arena erupted in cheers and loud whistles all at once. The spectators pumped their fists up in the air, and some even rose from their seats as they cheered. Finally, Sasuke had arrived.

'_Thank goodness he's alright.' _Sakura thought, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Glad he took his sweet-ass time gettin here." Jinx said sarcastically, the rest of the Fuma Clan nodding in agreement.

'_Damn, what a show off, making us all wait around like he's the emperor of the universe or something. Honestly, I don't see how Naruto puts up with that guy.' _Shikamaru thought with an irritated expression.

"Heh, so you decided to show up after all. And here I was thinking you wouldn't show!" Naruto taunted as he raised a fist towards Sasuke.

Sasuke turned in Naruto's direction and gave the blonde a small smirk.

"Hn. So what about you? Did you win against Neji, loser?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"You know it, retard." Naruto retorted.

As Sasuke got ready to make a smart comeback, both he and Naruto felt a cold chill run down their spines. Looking up at the same time, they both narrowed their eyes as they saw Gaara glaring down at them from the holding area, his arms crossed over his chest. Even from where they stood, they could still feel the redhead's bloodlust.

"Sasuke, whatever you do, you can't lose to that guy. The slightest mistake, and it could all be over for you." Naruto said, giving Gaara a glare of his own.

"Thanks for stating the obvious." Sasuke said, activating his Sharingan.

As Genma instructed Gaara to come down to the battlefield, Shikamaru decided that it was time for he and Naruto to bail.

"C'mon Naruto, they don't need us here. We should get back up to the holding area, where it's safe. And if you don't mind, I'm going to take the _stairs _this time." Shikamaru said boredly as he turned and began to walk away, hands behind his head.

"Oh c'mon, Shikamaru! You can't still be mad just because I gave you a little push, right? Besides, it was an accident!" Naruto exclaimed as he hurried to catch up with the lazy genius.

* * *

Not too long after Naruto and Shikamaru had left the battlefield, Gaara finally emerged from the entrance to the holding area. As always, his face was an emotionless mask, not even displaying confidence. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, the chance to kill Sasuke Uchiha and prove whose existence was stronger. Despite his calm appearance, Gaara could barely control his bloodlust as he walked over and stood only a few feet across from Sasuke. He wanted nothing more than squeeze the life out the Uchiha with his sand. Better yet, he'd make it slow, just to savor the moment of crushing the Uchiha's existence.

The two adversaries glared back at each other, Sharingan boring into deep pools of turquoise and sea foam green. Neither blinked, daring the other to look away. It was just like when they first met, but with much more intensity. Before, they were merely trying to intimidate the other. This time, however, the intent to kill lingered strongly in the air. Just as Naruto said, there was no room for mistake. The slightest slip up would result in the death of one them. The tension and intent to kill was so strong, that it could be felt throughout the entire arena. The arena itself was now as quiet as a tomb, even though it had been filled with enough noise to wake the dead only a minute ago.

Looking between the two, Genma decided these two weren't gonna wait any longer. They wanted to tear each other limb from limb, and he wasn't about to risk his own well-being by holding them back.

"You may begin!" Genma announced before jumping backwards to safety.

And that announcement was all it took to get the show rolling.

**Don't forget to drop a review.**


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. I wish I did though.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**The part where Sasuke leaves to go after Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro will be a little different than how it happened in the anime. I just wanted to let you guys know so I won't get flamed for it later.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 42**

Sasuke panted as he backflipped away from the dome of sand covering Gaara's body, having failed yet again to pierce through the surface. Worse yet, Sasuke could hear Gaara chanting the names of the hand seals he was making from within the sand dome, obviously preparing some unknown jutsu. Sasuke knew he had to stop it, and fast. Otherwise, it would be the turning point of the battle.

Up till this point, Sasuke had been dominating the entire fight. Due to his enhanced raw speed from his training with Kakashi, Sasuke was able to move fast enough to completely bypass Gaara's shield of sand and hit Gaara from multiple angles before the redhead had time to react. By adding chakra to his legs, Sasuke was able to increase his speed even more, to the point where he seemed to teleport and be at multiple positions all at the same time. This inhuman speed is what allowed Sasuke to get in hit after hit, rendering Gaara's _Sand Shield _useless.

Though, Sasuke's speed wasn't the only thing that had improved. His physical strength had improved as well. Even without using chakra, Sasuke's strikes were powerful enough to create large cracks in Gaara's _Armor of Sand_, chipping away more and more of it with each hit. At that point, Sasuke practically had a field day. He punched, kicked, and smacked Gaara all around the battlefield, moving too fast for the untrained eye to follow. Gaara's _Sand Shield _simply was unable to keep up, making it seem as though Sasuke had already won.

Frustrated and out of options, Gaara concentrated his chakra and formed a massive dome of sand around his entire body. Even though it was far too early, Gaara decided to use the _Transformation Technique _now. The voice inside his head was demanding blood, and Gaara was powerless to resist. Sasuke, seeing the sand dome as no threat, charged forward and delivered a hard punch. However, he was surprised not only by his attack having no effect, but also when spikes abruptly protruded out toward him. Luckily, Sasuke had been able to jump back in the nick of time. A second later and he would've been impaled.

Sasuke didn't give up, however. He tried throwing kunai at it and hitting it from different angles, using his speed to evade the spikes and trying to find a weak point. Unfortunately, it was all in vain. The sand dome didn't have a weak point, and none of Sasuke's attacks were able to even put a scratch on the surface. It was an absolute defense. However, this did not deter Sasuke, who quickly came up with an idea. If it worked, he'd not only break through the sand dome, but also actually injure Gaara at the same time.

After backflipping all the way to the other side of the arena and up the arena wall, Sasuke concentrated and formed the _Raikiri _in his left hand, just as Kakashi had taught him during his training before the exams began. After using a little more chakra to make the jutsu stronger, Sasuke shot down the wall like a bullet, tearing up the ground under him as he went.

"That technique is just like the one he used at the training grounds against Kakashi-sensei. Except, it's not around his entire body this time." Ino commented as she watched Sasuke race down the wall, this being her first time seeing the original _Raikiri_.

As Sasuke came within close enough range, he thrust his hand forward and a spear made entirely of lightning chakra extended from his hand. Everyone within the arena watched in pure amazement as the _Chidori Spear _easily pierced through the sand dome and Gaara's shoulder before protruding out the other end of the ball of sand.

'_Incredible! Not only has he mastered the Raikiri, but he's learned to completely alter its form. I've never seen that kind shape transformation!' _Guy thought to himself in awe.

'_It's finished.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he dispersed the _Chidori Spear_, feeling the attack hit its mark.

However, no sooner had Sasuke canceled the jutsu when a blood-curdling scream filled the air, causing most people within the arena to jump from both fear and surprise. Then, without warning, a demonic looking claw made of sand with what appeared to be purple veins, shot from the hole created by the _Chidori Spear_. It reached around and grabbed at the air before going back in again. Sasuke was then caught even further by surprise when an evil, demonic looking eye stared back at him through the hole. It was yellow and its pupil resembled a cross rather than a circle. Loud growling could be heard coming from the sand dome, making everyone's skin crawl.

'_What the hell?' _Sasuke thought to himself with a hardened gaze, surprised, but looking completely calm.

"Is that "thing" taking over again?" Kankuro asked Temari, his voice quivering.

"I don't know. This has never happened before." Temari said, just as frightened as Kankuro was. "I think Gaara might be hurt."

Kankuro shivered as a certain dark memory resurfaced in his mind.

'_Ugh, I remember the first time I saw "it", that thing inside of Gaara. It was awful, horrible! I couldn't eat for week.' _Kankuro thought to himself with a shudder.

Suddenly, the silence of the arena was shattered by a "cracking" sound. It was coming from the sand dome, which soon broke apart. As the dome broke apart, it dissolved back into sand, revealing a panting Gaara, who was holding his bleeding shoulder.

"I was right, he _is _hurt. The shield broke apart before the transformation could be complete." Temari said, a little relieved.

Suddenly, the silence was broken again, this time by an explosion coming from the Hokage Box. Strangely, nobody was panicking. Upon closer inspection, Sasuke saw that almost everyone in the arena had fallen asleep. They couldn't have all fallen asleep naturally, cause the explosion would've woken them up. Therefore, it could only mean one thing: Genjutsu, and that wasn't the only thing. All around him, Sasuke could both hear and sense a battle going on around him. The Chunin and Jonin of Konoha who were in the arena were fighting against against Sound ninja and Sand ninja. Also, the top of Kikyo Tower appeared to be surrounded by a purple forcefield. Within it, Hiruzen appeared to be being held hostage by the Kazekage.

"What the hell is going on?" Sasuke muttered to himself. As he became more aware of his surroundings, Sasuke finally noticed that Temari and Kankuro had jumped down onto the battlefield, and were helping Gaara stand up, supporting him by his shoulders.

"It's no use, Gaara can't go on like this. We have to tend to his wounds first." Temari said, her voice laced with concern.

"Ngh... Then we're gonna have to retreat for now." Kankuro agreed, before throwing a smoke bomb on the ground and bounding off with Temari and Gaara.

"You won't get away that easily." Sasuke muttered, before quickly locating their chakra signatures and bounding off after them.

A few seconds after Sasuke bounded off after his enemies, Naruto appeared on the battlefield in a swirl of leaves. He'd managed to detect the Genjutsu used to put the audience to sleep, and had managed to counter it before he could fall under its effects. After activating the Rinnegan and helping Kakashi and Guy fight off a few enemy shinobi, he'd planned to regroup with Sasuke. However, the Uchiha had already left by the time Naruto was able to get to the battlefield.

"Where do you think you're goin, Sasuke? We have to stay together, damn you!" Naruto hollered as he located Sasuke's chakra rapidly heading to Konoha Forest. Without wasting another moment, Naruto bounded off after him.

* * *

Sakura grunted as he slammed her fist into the face of the Sound ninja coming toward her. The force was hard enough to not only knock him into a stone support pillar, but also hard enough to break his neck upon impact, killing him instantly. Another ninja, one from Sunagakure, came at her next and lashed out at her with a kunai. However, Sakura caught his arm, broke it in three places by slamming it across her knee, and then finished him off by punching him in the throat, crushing his larynx. Sakura then proceeded to throw him over the railing as he choked on his own blood.

More shinobi came at her, but Sakura was able to take them all down with ease without taking a single hit, one after the other. After she'd broken the back of the last one with a powerful kick, Sakura noticed Naruto on the battlefield just before he bounded off to catch Sasuke.

"Kakashi-sensei, Naruto just left! I think he's going after Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed before having to duck as a body flew over her head.

"I see. In that case, you'll have to go after them. Release the Genjutsu around Shikamaru, and get going as quickly as you can. However, you're gonna have to be careful. This will be your first A-Rank mission since the land of waves." Kakashi said ominously, conveying just how serious this was.

"But what about you? Aren't you, or at least the Fuma Clan coming with me?" Sakura asked.

"No. I have to stay here and help with the village's defense. Plus, the Fuma Clan has their hands full right now." Kakashi said as he made a small cut on his thumb with a kunai. Sure enough, in the stands across from them, the entire Fuma Clan was fighting off a large group of Sound ninja that had invaded that side of the arena.

After going through a sequence of hand seals, Kakashi summoned Pakkun ontop of Shikamaru's back, who then proceeded to bite the lazy boy after realizing that he was faking being asleep in order to avoid having to to do anything. After having Kakashi explain the mission to them, the small group of three left through a large whole in the wall, created by Guy when he punched a Sound ninja through it.

However, none of them realized that Shino had been listening in on the entire conversation.

* * *

Not long after the small group had left, a group of Sound ninja, led by Kabuto disguised as an ANBU Black Op, appeared at the railing. Kakashi and Guy were to busy fighting off enemy shinobi to notice the threat right away.

"Hmm...It appears that Sakura and the other two have already left to go after Naruto and Sasuke." Kabuto said, observing the large hole in the wall.

"The brats? Hmph. No matter how many little Genin go after them, it won't do any good." the Sound ninja closest to Kabuto said.

Reaching into one of the pockets of his black cloak, Kabuto pulled out his stack of Ninja Info Cards and quickly swiped one out of the deck. Holding it up, he revealed it to be Naruto's card.

"That's the brat with the Rinnegan, huh? Heh, I guess you weren't kiddin about his abilities after all. With stats like those, there's no way he can still be on Genin level." the closest Sound ninja said.

"Exactly my point, which is why flee-on-sight orders have been issued if he appears. You are to eliminate him before he starts causing trouble for us, and exercise the utmost caution if he uses the Rinnegan. I've seen what those eyes of his can do." Kabuto warned.

The group of Sound ninja nodded before locating the chakra signatures of the three-man cell and heading off, leaving Kabuto to deal with Kakashi and Guy.

* * *

It didn't take long for Sakura, Shikamaru, and Pakkun to catch up to Naruto and quickly relay the mission information. The mission was to retrieve Sasuke and hide somewhere safe to await further orders. However, that was easier said than done. Sasuke and the three Sand shinobi were moving at a very rapid pace, making it hard for the three-man cell to keep up. As they traveled through the trees, Naruto became alert as a number of strange scents hit his sensitive nose, all of them originating from behind the group.

"Hey, I don't mean to alarm you guys, but we've got company." Naruto announced.

"I noticed them to. There's at least two squads behind us. I count eight of them! No, wait, there's one more. That's nine of them following us!" Pakkun replied.

After stopping back on the ground, Pakkun suggested going back over their tracks before continuing through the trees, in order to confuse the enemy. When this failed, however, it was decided that one member of the group would have to stay back and act as a decoy to slow the enemy down. In the end, it was Shikamaru who decided to hang back. Naruto and Sakura argued, but it was the only way. After a little persuading, Naruto and Sakura reluctantly agreed and they solemnly continued on with Pakkun, praying that Shikamaru survived.

* * *

Sasuke inwardly smirked as he glared down at Gaara from his position on a higher tree branch. It had taken him awhile, but he'd finally managed to catch up. He would've caught up sooner if it hadn't if been for the trip-wire traps Temari had set up along the way. When those failed, Temari herself tried to hold Sasuke off and buy time for Kankuro and Gaara to escape. Unfortunately, it was in vain, for Sasuke was able to take her down in under a couple of minutes with ease.

After taking down Temari, Sasuke intercepted Kankuro and was prepared to fight the young puppet master. That is, until Temari arrived. Luckily, Shino arrived just in time to offer some assistance, as he was still a little pissed about not being able to fight his scheduled match. Knowing they were at a disadvantage, Temari took Gaara and went on ahead. Sasuke went after them while Shino stayed behind to fight against Kankuro.

Now, after a 20 minute chase, Sasuke had finally managed to stop the escaping Sand siblings in their tracks. There would be no escape this time, Sasuke would make sure of that. At that exact moment, Gaara was finally able to regain enough energy to stand on his own. Temari had tried to treat his wound with some ointment from her weapons pouch, but ended up getting smacked away by Gaara as though she were a fly. Still a little exhausted, Gaara panted as he glared up at Sasuke, who continued to show nothing but calmness.

"Since we both know you can't beat me in your present state, why don't you cut to the chase and show me your real power." Sasuke taunted, dying to see what Gaara_ really _looked like.

"We're so alike Uchiha. I may not have friends as you have, but their not what makes you strong. It's your purpose that does it. It is in that way that we are alike." Gaara said in his cold, monotone voice, his _Armor of Sand _chipping away piece-by-piece.

"However, mine is the stronger one, for only by killing _you_ can I know what life is!"

Before he could say more, Gaara clutched his head in agony, and appeared to be having a mental breakdown. Suddenly enraged, Gaara looked up to the sky and let out a roar loud enough to burst the human eardrum as he began to transform, causing Sasuke and Temari to cover their ears. His _Armor of Sand _chipped completely away as the gourd on his back broke down to become sand, which engulfed his entire body, except for his legs. Both of his hands became oversized claws, his teeth became fangs, his gourd extended to become a long tail, and his eyes turned yellow with a cross-shape for both pupils. Lastly, purple markings that resembled veins appeared all over his body, thus finally completing the transformation.

"You, Sasuke Uchiha! I have chosen_ you_ to be my prey! Now, make me feel alive!" Gaara roared as he leaped forward, and extended one of his claws.

Using the sand to elongate the appendage, Gaara's claw rapidly picked up speed before it violently ripped through the tree branch Sasuke was standing on, tearing it to pieces. Luckily though, Sasuke was able to teleport out of harm's way just in time. Gaara then let out an amused grunt as he felt Sasuke's chakra reappear in a tree behind him.

"Why do you run, Sasuke Uchiha? Isn't this what you wanted? Don't tell me you're _afraid _of my true form!" Gaara taunted as he extended his claw again.

Cussing, Sasuke used his speed to move to the next tree, just as Gaara's claw tore through the one he'd been on only seconds before. It was times like this when Sasuke wished he'd of brought his sword with him. The one time he didn't bring it, and now he needed it more than ever. God, he really hated irony. Either way, he couldn't stay on the defensive forever. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke stepped out from behind his cover and began to go through a sequence of hand seals. Seeing what Sasuke was attempting, Gaara let out a grunt and shot forward, intent on stopping Sasuke before he could complete the jutsu.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough.

After completing the sequence of hand seals, Sasuke blew a stream of fire from his mouth which hit Gaara dead on. However, Sasuke was completely caught off guard when Gaara emerged from the stream of fire, unharmed, and clotheslined Sasuke through the tree behind him and then slammed him into the next one, all the while laughing like a maniac. However, Gaara was left sorely disappointed when "Sasuke" disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Hmph, a measly substitution, huh? Is that the best you've got, Uchiha?" Gaara bellowed.

'_That was TOO close. I barely managed to escape that time. Even still, my jutsu had no effect on him at all. That damn sand must be too dense for it to burn.' _Sasuke thought to himself from his spot up in a tree behind Gaara. Closing his eyes, Sasuke began to formulate a plan in his head. If _Fire Style _wouldn't work, then maybe _Lightning Style _would.

After going over his plan, Sasuke jumped down to land on a thick tree branch before leaping forward with a burst of speed. Gaara let out a feral growl as he whirled around and saw his prey flying towards him.

"Hn. A frontal attack is useless!" Gaara roared as he extended his claw forwards, watching in sick satisfaction as it ripped through Sasuke, tearing him to pieces. However, Gaara was mildly surprised when "Sasuke" suddenly dispersed into lightning chakra, giving Gaara a really nasty shock that almost knocked him off the tree branch he was standing on. As Gaara turned around, he had no time to react as Sasuke, letting out a grunt of effort, rammed a fully charged _Raikiri _into his chest, creating a gaping hole that was quickly starting to close. Before Gaara could react, Sasuke jumped back and threw a kunai with an attached paper bomb right into the hole as it closed up. After making a single hand seal, Sasuke caused the paper bomb to explode, blowing a much bigger hole into Gaara's chest. The force was strong enough to send Gaara soaring through the air before plummeting into the ground below with a loud thud.

"That had to have worked. There's no way he could survive something like that." Sasuke said to himself as he gazed down at the forest floor.

"Hn. Pathetic!" Gaara exclaimed as he suddenly appeared behind Sasuke, grabbing the Uchiha by the throat as the latter turned around. "Is that really the best you've got?"

With a sinister smirk, Gaara let Sasuke go, only to uppercut the Uchiha into the air. Laughing devilishly, Gaara leaped forward, put both his hands together, and slammed his oversized fists into Sasuke's stomach. The impact knocked the air out of Sasuke as he fell to the forest floor, going through a number of tree branches on the way down. For the next few minutes, Sasuke stayed down there, frustrated and planning his next move. All the while, Gaara was throwing out every taunt that came to his head, laughing his ass off.

"What's wrong, Sasuke Uchiha? Do you plan on staying down there all day? I know that attack didn't kill you, so come out and face me! Or is this the existence you live now? That of a coward!" Gaara bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the forest.

As Gaara let out his taunts, Sasuke continued to lay on the forest floor, listening to Gaara rant.

'_This is insane. I don't know what kind of Transformation Jutsu he's using, but his speed and strength are off the charts. If this gonna come down to brute strength, then I have no choice but to use **that **jutsu. Kakashi did say to only use it when necessary, and this is indefinitely one of those times.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he began to concentrate his chakra.

"I know you're down there, Sasuke Uchiha! If you don't come out in the next three seconds, I'm coming down there myself! One...two...thr-"

Before Gaara could finish his sentence, a being surrounded in lightning chakra shot up from the forest floor, causing Gaara to stagger back a little. Now surrounded by his _Lightning Style Armor_, Sasuke stood on a tree branch right across from Gaara, his arms folded confidently over his chest and Sharingan blazing.

"Alright, you ready for Round 2?" Sasuke asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Hmph. Caught a second wind, have you? Well struggle all you want, Sasuke Uchiha! In the end, you'll still die!" Gaara bellowed.

With a loud growl, Gaara shaped the sand composing his arms into countless shuriken, before swing both his arms forward and launching the projectiles. The sand shuriken shot through the air, tearing everything in their path to pieces. As they hit Sasuke, however, they were instantly incinerated. Throughout the entire barrage, Sasuke stood there calmly, not even bating an eyelash as the shuriken were harmlessly burned up.

Ready to end the battle as quickly as possible, Sasuke moved forward faster than the speed of light and slammed his knee into Gaara's face with sickening force. As Gaara was sent plummeting to the forest floor, Sasuke teleported behind him and kicked him back into the air. From there, it was like human pinball. Sasuke hit Gaara in every direction, only to teleport behind him and send him off again. This continued for a few more seconds before Sasuke sent Gaara plummeting to the forest floor with a hard kick to the chest that could be felt throughout the entire forest.

As Sasuke landed on a nearby tree branch, Gaara suddenly appeared in front of him again and attempted to plow one of his oversized fists into Sasuke's face. However, this time it was Gaara who was caught off guard as his fist was easily caught within a foot from Sasuke's face.

"Sorry, but that's not going to work on me. I've been chosen to avenge my clan by the one man I have sworn to kill. I can't afford to lose, not here and not now!"

With a shout of the last word, Sasuke hurled Gaara away with a burst of pure chakra alone. Gaara recovered faster than Sasuke expected, however, and was able to stop himself on a nearby branch. With an cold glare, Sasuke formed the _Raikiri _in his left hand and charged forward with monstrous speed. Growling, Gaara leaped forward also and extended one of his claws in order to stop Sasuke's momentum and deliver a killing blow. However, it was Gaara who let out a roar of pain as Sasuke's _Raikiri _ripped through his entire arm. Gaara lost his momentum and landed on the branch Sasuke had been on previously like a sack of potatoes.

"The _Lightning Release Armor _strengthens all of my lightning-based jutsu. Your tough sand exterior will no longer protect you from me." Sasuke said confidently as he turned to face Gaara as he was getting up.

Much to Sasuke's surprise, Gaara wasn't at all pissed or discouraged. Instead, the sand demon was actually laughing in delight as his arm regenerated. With a sadistic grin, Gaara turned to face Sasuke, licking his fangs in anticipation.

"Now _this_ is what I'm talking about! What a thrill it will be to crush such an opponent, capable of wounding me so badly! Such a victory will make me feel what it means to be truly alive!" Gaara exclaimed as he grew to his full 10 ft. height, dark, foul chakra now swirling around him as he let out more devilish laughter before charging forward.

With a determined glare, Sasuke met Gaara head on, clashing with the giant sand demon without fear. The warriors moved at lightning speed, reappearing and then disappearing as they fought. Their blows could be heard and felt throughout the entire forest. Neither one was really able to gain the upper hand, however. Despite how fast and hard they were fighting, both were at a stalemate in power.

'_So this is his full power, huh? Hn...Now he's even able to keep up with my Lightning Style Armor.' _Sasuke thought in amusement as he blocked a punch, only to throw a harder one of his own.

'_It's incredible. Gaara has never been pushed this far, let alone been wounded. Yet, Sasuke Uchiha has done it more than twice! No wonder Gaara wants to fight him so badly.' _Temari thought to herself as she watched the battle unfold before her. Even from where she sat, she could still feel a mixture of Sasuke's power and Gaara's foul chakra.

Finally, with a burst of energy, the two warriors were forced apart. Despite the fierce battle, neither combatant was really all that damaged. Thanks to the effect of the _Lightning Style Armor_, Sasuke only suffered from a few minor scratches here and there, nothing really serious. And Gaara was able to regenerate his injuries thanks to the sand. However, Sasuke was almost out of juice. Using the Sharingan, _Raikiri_, and the _Lightning Style Armor _were taking a _huge_ toll on his chakra. In fact, if hadn't of been for his training with Kakashi to expand his chakra reserves, Sasuke would've long run out energy by now. Luckily, he had just enough chakra for one more attack: his trump card, the very reason he'd gone to Kakashi for some last minute training in the first place. Concentrating his chakra, Sasuke began to form the _Raikiri _in his hand.

'_He going to use that Lightning Blade Jutsu again, huh? No matter. All I have to do is attack from long range, and I'll be fine. Luckily, this jutsu should be enough to tear him apart.' _Gaara thought as he inhaled a large breath of fresh air.

"_Wind Style: Infinite Sandstorm Devastation!" _

Gaara then exhaled, blowing out a chakra-coated cloud of sand that traveled at a speed where the wind was powerful enough to tear the flesh from someone's bones. The trees who were unlucky to be in it's path were stripped bare in only a second. Sasuke, however, was not worried in the least. His attack was ready, but he wasn't going to charge head-first. No, instead he was gonna stay right where he was.

"Hn. The only way to kill you is to blast you into atoms that you can never regenerate! Now, die!" Sasuke roared as he fused the _Raikiri _with more of his chakra, giving it a more concentrated and stable form.

Then, just like Kakashi showed him, Sasuke reared his arm back...and pitched it with enough perfection to put any baseball player to shame.

The _Raikiri Cannon _plowed forcefully into the chakra-coated cloud of sand, easily pushing it back and dispersing it, much to Gaara's complete surprise.

"What? How did you...?" Gaara let his voice trail off as the jutsu came closer, bathing him in bright blue light.

Gaara then let out a pain filled scream as the _Raikiri Cannon _struck him head on with the impact of a freight truck. A sonic boom reverberated throughout the forest, following a brilliant explosion of pure lightning that fried anything unlucky enough to be caught in the radius. After a few minutes, the smoke and noise finally settled down, though the explosion sight still radiated with a few lightning bolts here and there. Mainly though, there was no sign of Gaara anywhere.

"Oh no! Gaara!" Temari cried in horror, fearing the worst.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sasuke dissipated the _Lightning Release Armor _and deactivated his Sharingan.

"Finally, it's over." Sasuke said breathlessly as he closed his eyes and leaned against the tree he was standing on.

However, his eyes shot back open as he felt an ominous presence suddenly appear behind him. Whirling around, Sasuke's mouth dropped open as he came face-to-face with a still-transformed Gaara, who was mostly still unharmed, except for a few large chunks of sand that were beginning to regenerate.

"You annoying little...! I'll kill you!"

That was the last thing Sasuke registered before Gaara grabbed him by his face.

**Chapter ends here. Please don't forget to drop a review, and no flames people.**


	43. Chapter 43

**Discl****aimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, the anime would be a LOT different.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Just to give you guys a heads up, I'm not gonna write out the part where Naruto arrives, saves Sasuke, and then fights Gaara. I had the scenes planned out in my head, but they would be kind of long, and I know you guys don't wanna read all of that. Plus, I wanna move things along as quickly as possible. So instead, I'll simply tell about the fight rather than write it out. I also wanna thank all of you who have reviewed, and I hope you stay with me until the ride is over. I appreciate your support.**

**Also, Itachi will not make an appearance until AFTER Tsunade becomes the new Hokage. I'm letting you guys know to clear up any confusion. So please don't complain about the event switch up.**

**One more thing, I want to add the ShikaxNeji pairing I alluded to during the Forest of Death and the Preliminaries. However, I'm a little nervous to type it up since there are several same sex pairings already. I don't wanna make you guys mad, so I figured I'd ask you if you wanted the pairing. Also, it will be the last one in the same sex category. It also will not be hard yaoi, but simply fluff. So, if you want the pairing or not, just say so in your review. Flames will be deleted.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 43**

Naruto's Rinnegan eyes widened as they stared up at Gaara's full transformation of the One Tailed Shukaku himself. After a lengthly battle, Gaara had finally been pushed far enough to draw it out. Now would begin the fight of Naruto's life, for everything was at stake here.

After arriving just in time to save Sasuke from having his entire head crushed and explaining that Gaara was also a jinchuriki, Naruto gave the exhausted Uchiha some of his chakra so that he could rejoin the battle. After Sasuke rejuvenated himself, Squad 7 went after the full powered Gaara all at once. Unfortunately, Gaara was able to easily fend them all off at the same time. After not being able to gain an edge, Naruto went into his one tailed state and applied his _Chakra Blades_ while Sasuke activated his _Lightning Style Armor _and Sharingan again.

During the more evenly matched battle, Sakura found herself attached to a tree by one of Gaara's claws, which he detached from his main body. The claw would continue to harden and constrict Sakura until she was crushed, unless Gaara could be defeated before then. And so, the battle went on.

As the Ninjutsu and Taijutsu fight continued, Sasuke's Curse Mark began to cause him trouble again. After running out of the chakra Naruto had given him, Sasuke began to use the chakra of the Curse Mark instead. Everything was fine at first, as Sasuke was given a huge burst of strength and was able to go toe-to-toe with Gaara all on his lonesome for a prolonged period of time. As Sasuke felt himself start to run low on power, he tried to squeeze out more chakra, something Kakashi had plainly warned him not to do. As a result, Sasuke came under the attack from the Curse Mark itself, assaulting his body with wave upon wave of mind numbing pain. As Gaara tried to take advantage of the situation, he found himself blocked by Naruto, allowing Sasuke to move to safer ground.

With Sasuke and Sakura now out of action, Naruto was left to fight Gaara all by himself.

After having his team incapacitated, Naruto became angry and tapped into more of the Nine Tailed Fox's chakra, allowing him to slip into his Two Tailed Form. Unprepared for the sudden increase in power, Gaara was helpless under Naruto's assault, made stronger by the brass knuckle-like _Chakra Blades _attached to the blonde's fists. Long story short, Naruto beat his _ass_.

After almost being brought to the brink of death, Gaara was forced to fully transform into the Shukaku itself, towering above the the entire forest. Knowing that he was the only one who could stop Gaara, Naruto went through a sequence of hand seals before slamming his palm on the ground, summoning the (*) _Demonic Statue of the Outer Path_.

There was a large puff of smoke before a giant, stone creature pulled itself out of the ground. It's back had a number of rocky protrusions, it wore a blind fold with nine slots for each of its nine (open) eyes, and its mouth was filled with row upon row of razor sharp fangs. It let out a loud, monstrous roar as it stood on its two feet, revealing that it had the body of a human. Threatened by this new creature, Gaara emerged from Shukaku's forehead and used the _Playing Possum Jutsu _to fall asleep, allowing Shukaku's full personality to possess him.

After a lengthly Ninjutsu battle, the demonic statue pulled out a dagger strapped to its leg and was able to cut off one of Shukaku's arms. Now weakened, Shukaku was barely able to put up a struggle as the demonic statue grabbed him, sinking its claws into his thick, sandy hide. Presented with an opportunity, Naruto leaped forward into the air with an incredible burst of speed, and was able to successfully headbutt Gaara as hard as he could. The pain was enough to shock Gaara awake, resealing Shukaku's personality and power, and causing the giant transformation to dematerialize back into sand. With its work done, the demonic statue also dispersed in a puff of smoke.

Now back to their original selves, Naruto was able to defeat Gaara in simple hand-to-hand combat before his body succumbed to the after effects of using the chakra of the Nine Tailed Fox. Exhausted, Gaara questioned Naruto on how he became so strong. Upon hearing Naruto's story, Gaara was surprised to learn that Naruto had suffered the same loneliness as he had back when he was a child, due to him also having a demon sealed within him. He was even more surprised that Naruto never gave up hope on being acknowledged as a person and ultimately found friends who truly cared for him. Seeing the determination that Naruto had to protect his friends made Gaara question his own path in life, and after realizing that he'd given up too easily, he chose to follow Naruto's example.

The last thing Naruto remembered before he passed out was seeing Gaara being carried away by his two siblings.

* * *

A few moments later, Naruto awoke to find himself riding ontop of Sasuke's back, piggyback style. After using up a lot of his chakra, and with his body still healing from the after effects of the Kyuubi's chakra, Naruto decided not to protest that he could walk on his own, instead allowing Sasuke to carry him. Glancing back over his shoulder, Sasuke put on a relieved face upon meeting Naruto's ocean blue eyes.

"Glad to see you're finally awake, idiot." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke? Where are we? And where's Sakura-chan?" Naruto questioned, a little disoriented.

"Sakura is fine. The sand claw collapsed after you defeated Gaara. I told her to go on ahead to the village while I went to get you, and we'd catch up with her and Pakkun later. You just rest until we get there, we're halfway there anyway." Sasuke explained.

Naruto nodded and laid his head on Sasuke's shoulder, quickly falling back asleep and allowing the rapid healing process to continue. Although Sasuke appeared calm and cool on the outside, he was seething on the inside. Seeing Naruto awaken yet another form of the Nine Tail's Cloak and beat the living hell out of Gaara all together had caused that jealous feeling to well up in Sasuke again, which was only made worse by seeing Naruto summon that huge demonic statue thing. And the resulting battle afterwards had left him utterly speechless. Gaara was supposed to have been _his _opponent and it should've been _his _victory. But in the end, it was Naruto who saved the day _again_. Everyone fawned over Sasuke and how he was the last of the Uchiha Clan, but then Naruto, the dead-last of his graduating class, was able to summon something like _that_. All of it was pissing Sasuke off, and he only got madder and madder the more he thought about it.

He _needed _Naruto to be weak. He _needed _to know that he was the stronger one. However, it wasn't going like he'd planned at all. The fact that he'd fallen behind Naruto was what really bothered him more than anything, more so than the blonde's fight with Gaara.

For a moment, Sasuke actually considered dropping Naruto, but his heart won over and he just couldn't bring himself to actually do it. After what seemed like hours, the pair finally made it back to the village, and Naruto, after waking up from his nap, was horrified at what he saw. The village he knew and loved had been utterly destroyed. There was hardly a single building in the entire village left untouched. Bodies, rubble, and broken glass littered the streets and some of the buildings were even destroyed beyond repair. By the time Naruto and Sasuke arrived, the clean up had just started.

Although they'd been able to repel the attack by Otogakure and Sunagakure, Konoha had taken some heavy losses. The heaviest loss was the death of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, who had given his life to seal off Orochimaru's arms with the _Reaper Death Seal_, sealing away the snake man's ability to use any kind of jutsu. Orochimaru was then forced to retreat with Kabuto as a bitter, defeated dog.

Although the pair wanted to help clean up the mess, it was obvious to Kakashi and Genma that both Naruto and Sasuke were in no condition to be doing any sort of work, especially after everything they'd been through. So, the pair was instructed, or rather forced, to go home and rest. After all, they'd earned it.

* * *

It was now the next day, the day of Hiruzen's funeral, and all of Konoha was gathered around the Hokage Mansion to say their last goodbyes to their fallen leader. Many of Konoha's residence were crying uncontrollably while others remained grim, holding their sorrow inside. Many of them had been around since Hiruzen had first taken office, and it was terribly hard for them to accept that he was dead. Those who served in the ninja system of Konoha were gathered on the roof, all dressed in black to show they were mourning. Overhead, the sky had become cloudy and gray, adding to the already sad and depressing atmosphere.

One by one, each shinobi went up to Hiruzen's coffin, said a small prayer, and laid a white rose on the alter in front of the coffin. As Naruto stepped forward to pay his respects, he could not hold back the tears that streamed down his face like a waterfall. Hiruzen had been like a grandfather to Naruto, and had been one of the few adults who saw him as an actual person rather than just the container of the Nine Tailed Fox. Despite already having enough on his plate as the Hokage, Hiruzen had done his best to make life as comfortable for Naruto as he possibly could. It was Hiruzen who forbade anyone from even speaking about the Nine Tails, hoping that those too young to remember the Nine-Tails' attack would not hate Naruto as the rest of the village had. He even gave Naruto his mother's last name so relation to Minato (Naruto's father & Fourth Hokage) would be kept a secret from Minato's enemies.

And now, even he was gone.

As he watched Naruto sob, Sasuke felt his heart lurch, as well as feeling a little guilty for having had such envious thoughts only the day before. He hated seeing Naruto cry. Something about it just bothered him. As Naruto began to cry harder, only a single command went off in Sasuke's head: _Go comfort him_.

Not caring that it was unlike to him to show emotion in front of others, Sasuke walked forward and wrapped his arms around the sobbing blonde, allowing him to cry in his chest. Any jealousy or envy Sasuke may have been feeling vanished instantly as he gently held Naruto closer. Right now, Naruto needed him.

* * *

A few hours after the funeral ended, Naruto wandered with Sasuke through the destroyed village, going wherever his feet would take him. All around them, civilian and shinobi alike were helping each other to clean up what they could. The Fuma Clan assisted by helping pull bodies out from the rubble, and were helping to repair any damage as best they could.

After wandering through the village, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves sitting at the edge of the dock where they had first met as kids. Naruto sat in Sasuke's lap, his head resting on the Uchiha's chest. Neither had said anything for a while, instead looking out over the calm water. Sasuke, feeling that Naruto was still hurting, held Naruto closer to him.

"Why did it have to happen? Why did someone so good have to die?" Naruto asked suddenly, catching Sasuke a little by surprise.

"He died honorably Naruto. If he hadn't of given his life, the village wouldn't have survived. I know his death is hard to accept. Believe me, I feel your pain. He looked out for me too after Itachi killed my family. He was a great man, and a great Hokage who never stopped believing in his people. He may be gone, but he left us something priceless. His hopes and dreams live on in us now, Naruto." Sasuke explained softly.

"Yeah...you're right. But still, I'm sad that he's gone."

"Everyone is, Naruto, but we have to move on and continue his legacy. It's what he would want us to do. Besides, you can't be upset forever. There's gonna be a lot of painful times in life, and you'll have to deal with them the right way. I know his death is hard to get over, but you'll have to be strong. If you're gonna be the Hokage one day, you can't sit around and spend your whole life being sad."

Naruto nodded after a moment, realizing that Sasuke was right. He couldn't mope around and dwell on the Hokage's death for the rest of his days. If he was to be Hokage someday, he'd have to push himself even further and leave behind a legacy even greater than Hiruzen's. Naruto couldn't help but smile as warm memories of the Third Hokage went through his mind. Again, he could feel the tears well up in his eyes before he felt them fall down his cheeks. Strangely though, even though he felt sad, he felt better at the same time. It was kind of like a beautiful sadness. He wasn't happy that Hiruzen was dead, of course. No, he was happy for all the life lessons Hiruzen taught him. Naruto was sad that the old man was gone, but through that sadness, he would get stronger. With this in mind, Naruto dozed off.

Upon hearing Naruto's breathing even out, Sasuke realized that Naruto had fallen asleep. Inwardly smiling, Sasuke carefully picked Naruto up bridal style, and carried the tired blonde home.

* * *

Jiraiya hummed a tune to himself as he casually made his way to the training field in order to speak to his favorite blonde-haired student. It was now several days after the Third Hokage's funeral, and Jiraiya now found himself about to go on a little journey.

Only a few minutes before, he'd been minding his own business, doing his "research" like he always did in his spare time. Of course, this "research" required spying on the village women as they bathed at one of the many still standing bathhouses, which gave him ideas for his Make-Out series. That was when the two Konoha elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, appeared before him. It was then he learned that Orochimaru had been the one responsible for everything, and that he (Jiraiya) had just been nominated to be the next Hokage. The village had suffered heavy losses and damage due to the invasion, and the council had no way of knowing when one of the surrounding nations would attack. Therefore, a strong leader was needed, hence why Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, had been nominated.

Unfortunately, Jiraiya turned the offer down, as he already had his hands full. For one thing, he was following the movements of Orochimaru, as well of those of the criminal organization known as "Akatsuki". This left Jiraiya unable to fulfill the Third's wishes of him one day becoming Hokage, as following Orochimaru and the Akatsuki was far more important. Plus, being Hokage simply wasn't his thing. However, since the council was so intent on having one of the Sannin lead the village, Jiraiya volunteered to find Tsunade, who'd left the village after Sakura completed her training.

This series of events is what lead Jiraiya to the training field, where he sensed Naruto's chakra. It had taken some convincing, but he'd eventually been able to convince Homura and Koharu to allow him to bring Naruto along. This was the perfect opportunity for Jiraiya to spend time with his godson, as well as see how advanced Naruto had become with the Rinnegan. A few moments later, Jiraiya finally made it to the training field and couldn't help but smirk at what he saw.

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the training field was the _Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. _Its nine eyes were closed and its hands were folded neatly in its lap, as though it were in meditation. Sitting ontop its head, also cross-legged with his arms folded in his lap, was Naruto. Apparently, the blonde had been meditating and drawing in Nature Energy, as he was already in Sage Mode by the time Jiraiya arrived. He wore the same attire as he had during the Chunin Exams: Konoha headband, navy blue Konoha ninja uniform, flak jacket, face mask that covered the bottom part of his face, bracelets on both wrists, and bandages around the middle of both sleeves. His blonde hair was tied in its usual long, shaggy ponytail.

Sensing a disturbance, the demonic statue opened its eyes, bared its fangs, and let out a warning growl as it located Jiraiya. Slightly alarmed, Naruto opened his eyes was delighted to see Jiraiya standing by the entrance of the training field.

"Calm down, it's only Pervy Sage." Naruto commanded.

The demonic statue, still uneasy of the newcomer, reluctantly did as its master commanded and went back to its business.

"Hey Pervy Sage! Uh...sorry about the statue thing. He doesn't trust anyone except the one who summons him." Naruto said sheepishly after jumping down from the statue's head, dispersing it in a cloud of smoke afterwards.

"Don't worry about it, it was the same way back at Mt. Myoboku anyway." Jiraiya replied cheerfully. '_So he's gotten the hang of summoning that thing already, huh? He's really come far with those eyes of his.'_

"So, Pervy Sage, what brings you here? Are you gonna teach me an awesome new jutsu?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Not exactly kiddo. I'm here because there's a little dilemma. You see, the village needs a new Hokage and-"

"They nominated me! Hell yeah! I knew all of my hard work would pay off someday! Oh, Pervy Sage, this is the happiest day of my life!" Naruto cried excitedly, catching Jiraiya in a tight hug.

"Uh...well...I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Naruto, but they didn't nominate you. They nominated me. However, I'm afraid I'm just not cut out for the job. Anyway, the council is hellbent on having one of the Sannin lead the village, and since Orochimaru is definitely out of the question, Tsunade is the only other candidate. So, I have to go find her and bring her back to Konoha. I was hoping you could tag along." Jiraiya explained to a disappointed Naruto.

"Say what? Why would they want Granny Tsunade as a Hokage? The Hokage is supposed to be wise and everything, just like the old man was. Granny Tsunade, on the other hand, is mean, greedy, and just plain not that smart. They should've chosen someone like me." Naruto said, pointing to himself with his thumb.

"Yeah, yeah, their loss. Anyway, Tsunade is most likely gambling her money away at Tanzaku Town, so that's where I'm headed. Do you wanna come with me?"

Naruto took a moment to think it over before finally agreeing to go, but Jiraiya had to promise to treat him to ramen when they got back. Using the _Flying Thunder God Technique _to teleport home, Naruto quickly packed his backpack with the necessary supplies before heading out and meeting Jiraiya at the Konoha Entrance Gates. After sending out a shadow clone to tell Sasuke that he was leaving, Naruto and Jiraiya headed out to find Tsunade.

Meanwhile, within Naruto's subconscious, the blood-red eyes of the Nine Tailed Fox shot open as it sensed a sudden disturbance in its chakra. At first, it thought that maybe Naruto was in a battle and was utilizing its chakra to defeat some strong opponent. However, after connecting its vision to the optic nerves in Naruto's eyes, the Kyuubi was able to see that Naruto was not engaged in a battle of any kind. Instead, he appeared to be listening to some story the white-haired man was telling him. So if Naruto wasn't in a fight or anything, what was causing the disturbance? As the Kyuubi pondered over why its chakra was behaving abnormally, it couldn't hold back the shudder that traveled up its spine as a wave of what could be called "lust" suddenly washed over him from out of nowhere, followed by another and then another.

The combination its chakra behaving erratically and the sudden spikes of lust could only mean one thing...

"**Naruto, there is something I feel I should warn you about. Usually, I wouldn't care. However, since this involves me, I feel that if I don't tell you ahead of time, it could have dire consequences.**" The Nine Tailed Fox said from within Naruto's subconscious.

"_Not now Kyuubi. Tell me later." _Naruto said telepathically as he listened to Jiraiya tell him the story of how he met another young boy who also possessed the Rinnegan. It had been quite a while ago though, back during the Second Shinobi War.

"**It's important you ungrateful runt! Now listen, in a few days, your going to have-"**

"_Look, whatever it is, it's gonna have to wait till later. And did you know there was someone else besides the Rikudo Sennin who had the Rinnegan before me?"_

"**No, and I really don't give a damn. Now listen for a momen-"**

"_Well fine. In that case, take whatever you have to say and shove it up your ass! Honestly, sometimes I don't know whose more a of dick: you or Sasuke?"_

_"_**How dare you compare me to that cursed Uchiha! Since you wanna be so ungrateful, despite me being generous and lending you my power numerous times, you can handle whatever happens by yourself. You can't say I didn't try and warn you."**

With that, the Kyuubi backed off and resumed its nap within its cage, taking the opportunity now that the waves of lust had stopped for the moment. With the Kyuubi now settled, Naruto was free to listen to Jiraiya's tale.

However, if only Naruto had of listened to the Nine Tailed Fox's warning, the events over the next several weeks probably wouldn't have happened.

(*) **The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is the the giant statue Nagato uses to seal the tailed beasts after he extracts them from the jinchuriki. It's also the thing he summoned when Hanzo tried to have him and Konan killed after Yahiko stabbed himself. It was Naruto Shippuden episode 173.**

**Finally, the Chunin Exams are now over! Now, the real story can finally begin! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to drop in a review if you get the chance.**


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Hey guys, there's been a slight mishap. In the last chapter, it's supposed say "the events over the next several weeks probably wouldn't have happened, rather than "the events of the next week probably wouldn't have happened." I'll go back and fix the typo later, and I apologize for the mishap.**

**I also apologize for the long wait. I've been job hunting for the past few weeks and I haven't had much time to write. I made this chapter longer to make up for it, and I'm really sorry you guys had to wait so long.**

**Also, I really don't feel good about this chapter and added the mission part because I couldn't think of anything to fill up the space. So it's actually okay of you hate this chapter, because I don't feel right about it myself.**

**One more thing, that ShikamaruXNeji pairing will come after this for sure, so stay tuned. As a reminder, this will be the last same sex pairing.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 44**

Sasuke felt his body instantly become tense as the cold sprays from his morning shower washed over him, quickly getting rid of his "predicament" in a matter of seconds and causing him to visibly shudder. After waiting for a few more moments, Sasuke turned the water on hot and let out a relieved sigh as the cold sprays water gradually became warmer, relaxing Sasuke to the point where he felt he could pass out from sheer relief. As the hot streams of water washed over him, Sasuke tilted his head back and allowed his mind to wonder.

It had now been two weeks since Naruto and Jiraiya had returned home from their successful mission of convincing Tsunade to be the new Hokage. During the passing weeks, Konoha had mostly been rebuilt. There was still work to be done, but for the most part, the village was starting to look whole again. It was mostly due in part to the efforts of the Fuma Clan, who'd volunteered to help out the village since it was now a bit underhanded due to the attack. As a token of appreciation, the Fuma Clan was given their own compound within the village, making them honorary citizens of Konoha as declared by Lady Hokage herself. However, all of that was besides the point.

Recently, Sasuke had begun to have erotic dreams involving a certain blonde. This was quite strange, considering Sasuke had stopped having them after he and Naruto had begun dating a while back, and it was highly unusual for them to suddenly start back up for no reason. He'd had a dream almost every single night for the past 2 weeks, resulting in his cases of "morning wood". Lately, these dreams had begun to interfere with Sasuke's sleep, as he'd sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with an erection that wouldn't go away, forcing him to go to the bathroom to "relieve" the problem himself since he didn't want to wake Naruto up for such a dumb reason.

As if the dreams suddenly starting back up weren't already strange enough, Sasuke had recently begun to smell a very unusual, but pleasing, aroma that would seem to appear and disappear from out of nowhere. It smelled of a mixture between spring flowers and lavender, and it had a very..._profound _effect on Sasuke. In other words, it turned him on. Worse yet, it would sometimes happen at the most inopportune of times, like when the pair were around other people. Though, it appeared as if Sasuke was the only who smelled it, as nobody else seemed to notice.

The strangest part of it all, however, is that Sasuke would have these blackout moments where his body would simply take on a mind of its own, as a result of him breathing in the fragrance for a prolonged period of time. It was kind of like Sasuke was watching from outside of his body as another force took control. Whenever he'd finally regain control of himself, Sasuke wouldn't remember a single thing afterwards. These blackout moments are what have led to Naruto and Sasuke finding themselves in one compromising position after another as of late.

Last Wednesday night, for example, the two had been arguing over what to watch on television. Halfway through the argument, that arousing aroma hit Sasuke's nostrils again. After that, his mind went blank. When Sasuke finally came back to his senses, he was confused beyond words to find both himself and Naruto butt naked, on the floor, with the latter underneath him. After redressing themselves, Naruto had gone on to explain how Sasuke had suddenly kissed him from out of nowhere, and it basically went downhill from there.

All these events baffled Sasuke to no end, and he couldn't think of a single explanation for it. Then again, he wasn't the only one acting strangely, for Naruto hadn't been himself either. Lately, the blonde had been suffering from heat flashes that would sometimes last for hours, as well as sudden mood swings. The weirdest part, however, is that whenever Naruto and Sasuke would wake up after finding themselves in a sexual situation, Sasuke noticed that Naruto's eyes would turn blood red before going back to their natural ocean blue, and that he'd have claws instead of normal fingernails.

None of it made sense, and trying to figure it out at the moment was making Sasuke's head hurt. With a sigh, Sasuke shut off the water before climbing out the shower and finishing his business. Upon walking into the kitchen, Sasuke wasn't all surprised to find Naruto already having his "breakfast", counting at least six empty ramen cups around him.

"Morning, bastard." Naruto said with a mouthful of ramen noodles.

"Hn." was Sasuke's reply as he pulled his own cup of ramen down from the cupboards.

After preparing it and fixing himself a glass of orange juice, Sasuke sat down across from Naruto began to eat his meal. After a couple minutes of simply eating in silence, Sasuke decided that it was _too _quiet and went for making a little small talk. Luckily, he knew exactly what he wanted to inquire about.

"So, dobe, how was your trip with Jiraiya?" Sasuke asked before taking a sip of his orange juice.

"I thought you'd never ask! You won't believe what happened..." Naruto said excitedly as he proceeded to tell Sasuke about his little adventure.

For most of the story, Sasuke merely zoned out, as most of what Naruto was telling him wasn't really all that interesting. Besides, the only reason Sasuke wanted to get Naruto talking in the first place was just to get the quietness to go away. However, his interest was piqued at the mention of Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Orochimaru and Kabuto? What the hell were they doing there, especially Kabuto of all people?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, that's the insane part. Apparently, Kabuto and Orochimaru had gotten to Granny Tsunade a day before me and Pervy Sage had, trying to convince her to heal that snake bastard's arms and all. I don't really know the full details of what happened, but by the time we got there, Granny Tsunade was fighting Kabuto, so I guess the deal must've gone sour." Naruto explained before finishing his last cup of ramen.

"So Kabuto has been secretly working for the enemy this whole time, huh? I honestly can't say I'm surprised, seeing as how I never really trusted the guy anyway." Sasuke said before smirking.

As Naruto continued on with the rest of the story, Sasuke zoned out again as he finished the remainder of his meal, as the rest was nothing he found to actually be worth listening to. Sasuke nearly choked on his last sip of orange juice, however, as Naruto got to the part about how Orochimaru tried to kill him after determining that he had become too great a threat.

Apparently, after witnessing Kabuto get nailed by the _Rasengan_, Orochimaru came to the conclusion that Naruto needed to be eliminated before the blonde could cause any troublesome shit in the future. Luckily though, Tsunade had been able to intervene in the nick of time.

Even still, hearing that Naruto was now considered **_dangerous_**, even in the eyes of a demented psychopath like Orochimaru, caused that feeling of jealous envy to stir within Sasuke again, as even he hadn't been able to make that kind of impression on the snake Sannin. As Sasuke clenched his hand around his now empty glass, he began to subconsciously tighten his grip until the piece of glassware cracked.

Before Sasuke's grip could tighten anymore, both his and Naruto's attention were drawn toward the direction of a tapping sound. The sound turned out to be none other than Kakashi tapping on the window above the sink, standing on the window ledge as leverage.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he rushed over and opened the window, allowing the silver haired Jonin to enter the small kitchen.

"Yo. Glad to see you guys didn't decide to sleep in today." Kakashi said, smiling with his eye.

"Actually, we were just having breakfast. You want some? There's plenty of ramen to go around." Naruto replied cheerfully, opening the cupboards to reveal row upon row of different flavored cups of ramen.

"Uh...actually I'm already a little full. Iruka made a big breakfast this morning." Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his head as he sweat dropped. "Anyway, an emergency just popped up and you have a mission. Meet me at the training grounds as soon as you can for briefing. Also, we'll have a special guest at mission briefing this time. Ciao."

Without another word, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Special guest? I wonder who it could be?" Naruto said questioningly as he threw his empty ramen cups away.

"Only one way to find out I guess." Sasuke replied as he prepared to follow Naruto out the kitchen. After waiting for Naruto to leave the kitchen first, Sasuke made sure to hide his cracked glass at the bottom of the trash can before heading back to the bedroom to get changed into his attire.

* * *

About 30 minutes later, after deciding to take the long way, Naruto and Sasuke finally arrived at the training fields. They were none too surprised to see that Sakura was already there, as she usually showed up ahead of time anyway. They were surprised, however, or rather shocked, to discover that Kakashi was actually there was well, **on time**! Behind him stood a familiar figure, whose arms were folded over his chest.

"Oh my god! Sasuke, are you seeing this? Kakashi-sensei is actually on time! This must be the end of civilization as we know it!" Naruto cried in mock hysteria.

"Don't be so dramatic, Naruto. Besides, I can be on time when I wanna be." Kakashi replied with a bored expression.

"The fact that your actually on time must mean this mission is of high importance." Sasuke said in his usual uninterested tone.

"Yes, indeed it is." the figure behind him said.

After getting over his shock of seeing Kakashi actually on time for once, Naruto had completely forgotten about the other person. Looking behind his sensei, Naruto eyes lit up at once when he saw who it was.

"Torn! Long time, no see man!" Naruto said excitedly as he greeted the tattooed red head with a fist bump.

"Naruto-kun, glad to be working alongside you again. I'm also relieved to see that you won your match against that Neji Hyuga kid. Although, I have to admit that he gave you a run for your money." Torn replied coolly

"Ah, he was nothin. I could've taken him down in a few seconds flat if I'd wanted to, but I decided to be nice, and go easy on him." Naruto exaggerated.

Torn rolled his eyes.

"Sure, whatever you say."

As Naruto chatted with his friend, Sasuke watched the interaction with skepticism. Even though they'd proven themselves to be allies, Sasuke still didn't exactly trust the Fuma Clan all that much, and he was a little skeptical of Torn joining them on this mission. He also didn't like Torn's familiarity with Naruto. He was sure there was nothing to worry about, but the possessiveness was simply a natural boyfriend thing.

"Hey! Sorry to interrupt this little reunion, but why exactly are you accompanying us on this mission?" Sasuke asked loudly so that Torn could hear him.

"Because, due to my experience and skills in the Ninja Arts, I've recently been promoted to the rank of Jonin." Torn replied with a slight edge in his voice.

Both and Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened at the same time.

"You're a Jonin!" they both cried in unison.

Torn smirked and nodded.

"Hn. Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you have to come with _us_. We already have a Jonin squad leader." Sasuke retorted.

"Actually, Sasuke, that's the exact reason Torn is here. I have an A-Rank mission I have to attend to, and so Torn will be the squad captain for this mission. I know it will be a little different, but rest assured that Torn is fully qualified for this. I trust you will show him the same respect you show towards me, and don't forget about teamwork. See you when you guys get back."

With a friendly wave goodbye, Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

"Alright, we're wasting valuable time the longer we stay here. We need to get moving as soon as possible, so listen closely to the mission details." Torn commanded in is raspy voice as he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it.

Laying the paper on a nearby tree stump, Squad 7 saw that it was a detailed map of the entire Konoha Forest. There were a number of symbols and lines drawn on it, as well as a map key telling what each line and symbol meant. Overall though, it appeared to be quite worn from years of use.

"According to the Intel provided to me by the ANBU Black Ops, a number of rogue shinobi from an unknown village are moving through the forest near Konoha, somewhere in the area near the Nakano River. Normally, we would bring them all in for questioning. However, it appears that the only valuable targets are the leaders of both groups, as they are from the original Syndicate gathering new recruits. Our mission is to bring them back alive in order to discover the location of any other remnants. Everyone else is to be eliminated on the spot. I also regret to inform you that this mission is being considered B-Rank as well, due to it involving assassination." Torn said gravely, conveying the seriousness of the assignment.

"Wait, if this mission is considered B-Rank, then shouldn't they at least be sending a team of Chunin? I mean, this mission seems a bit too dangerous for a squad of Genin." Sakura said a bit worriedly.

"I'm aware of that. However, in order to still appear strong to the other surrounding nations, the village is having to stretch its work force as much as possible. The Fuma Clan volunteered to help, but the village is still a bit understaffed. As a result, the remaining ninja of this village are being sent on more missions and of much higher difficulty than usual. The Genin, for example, are now being sent on missions that are usually reserved for those with the rank of either Chunin or Jonin, hence the reason you guys are being sent on this mission. Plus, seeing as how we all played a part in destroying the Marauders in the first place, we were considered the best ones to deal with this problem since we've dealt with them before."

Sakura gulped and nodded.

"The Marauders again, huh? I was sure we got all of them." Naruto said.

"We all were. However, it would seem that some of them were away when the attacked on their compound happened. Either way, Intel says that the group has split off into two groups. One group is following one of the main forest paths through the east side of the forest. The other group is traveling by boat up the Nakano River. We'll split up into two teams and intercept both groups before they can reach the village. I'll go alone and intercept the group sailing by boat. You three are to intercept the group using the forest path. Naruto-kun, use your shadow clones to scout the area and locate which path the Marauders are taking. After that, you are to lie in wait and ambush them when the moment is right. You guys know this forest inside and out, so use that to your advantage and lay down a few traps. Don't forget, the leader **MUST **be taken alive, so watch your fire."

"Also, keep in mind these men are considered highly dangerous, so don't take them lightly. They are most likely trying to rebuild the Syndicate again, and we can't let that happen at any cost. These guys hold a grudge against us, and I have reason to believe their heading for the village to seek revenge. They must've gotten wind of the invasion, and have chosen now to strike. Now, does everyone understand the objective?"

Squad 7 nodded.

"Alright then. I'll stay with you guys until we get to the gates. After that, we split up. Now, let's move..."

* * *

True to his word, Torn accompanied Squad 7 all the way to the Konoha Gates just as he'd promised. After that, they went their separate ways. Squad 7 followed one of the main forest paths to the east side of Konoha Forest before hiding in wait for their target group to pass through. Following Torn's suggestion, Naruto created several _Crow Clones _that dispersed into a large murder of crows that flew over head, each one having the Rinnegan and sharing their vision with Naruto.

On command with Naruto's hand signal, the crows dived into the forest and began inconspicuously flying through the forest canopy, on the lookout for the group of rogue shinobi. All Squad 7 had to do now was wait for the crows to locate their targets. It only took roughly 25 minutes for the crows to locate their intended targets. There were at least 15 of them traveling in a group. The largest one walked in the middle. He was tall, had a muscular build, and towered above all the other men around him. Obviously, he was the leader. In addition, the crows revealed 15 more of them hiding in the bushes. They were following the group in the surrounding bushes, providing security in case someone tried to attack the group out in the open. True to their style, the Marauders were traveling in numbers.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the members of Squad 7 were able to put their heads together and think of a battle plan. It would be rather "loud", but it would work in taking care of the surrounding Marauders, first. Then, then they could move in on the main group. After going over the plan one more time, Squad 7 bounded off into the forest to meet the enemy head on.

* * *

Torn sighed as he lied in wait within the thick canopy leaves, waiting for the enemy to pass through. Even though it seemed like he'd been waiting for hours, a look at his watch revealed that only 15 minutes had passed. Then again, he'd expected this. His years of experience in the Ninja Arts had taught him to value patience, as he'd seen what could happen if you had a lack thereof. Plus, this was his chance to prove his allegiance to Konoha. He'd willingly hide within the trees all day if he had to.

Luckily though, Torn didn't have to wait for much longer. 20 minutes later, Torn finally spotted the steamboat carrying his assigned targets. A handful of them stood on the deck, obviously on the lookout for anything suspicious. They knew they were in enemy territory, and they were on edge. After cracking his knuckles, Torn unzipped the two bags on his utility belt and got to work.

Using the _Magnet Release_ kekkei genkai possessed by all members of the Fuma Clan, Torn converted his chakra into a magnetic force after making the "Ram" hand seal. As the iron powder, or rather _Iron Sand_, responded to the magnetism and floated around him, Torn formed it into a number of large needles which rained down upon the boat itself. Most of the Marauders standing guard outside were caught off guard and impaled on the spot. Besides them, the engine itself had been impaled as well, stopping the small boat in its tracks.

After decimating the crew with a single _Iron Sand _technique, Torn was able to capture the stunned leader alive by crushing both of his arms to dust with the _Iron Sand Burial, _an exact copy of Gaara's technique, but with iron powder instead of sand. After incapacitating the leader, Torn wrapped him up with the _Iron Sand Coffin_ before dragging him along as he went to regroup with Squad 7.

* * *

By the time Torn regrouped with Squad 7, they were just finishing up. Bloody, broken bodies littered the ground around them. There were even more in the surrounding area. Most of the trees had been reduced to kindling and smoldering stumps. As he arrived on the scene with his target, Torn was none too surprised to see Squad 7 in the middle of all the carnage. However, they weren't unscathed, as all three of them were covered in wounds and small cuts.

"Glad to see you all are still in one piece, sort of." Torn said as he carelessly dropped his incapacitated target to the ground. "You guys ready to get going?"

Squad 7 didn't seem to hear Torn, and instead looked at the incapacitated Marauder leader in confusion.

"What the hell is that stuff he's wrapped up in?" Naruto asked, wincing as the Kyuubi healed a deep gash in his arm.

"It's called _Iron Sand_, the kekkei genkai of the Fuma Clan. I have special magnetic chakra that I can use to manipulate the iron powder I keep in the bags on my belt. Every member of the Fuma Clan can do it." Torn explained.

'_Amazing. It's an exact replica of Gaara's jutsu.' _Sakura thought to herself in awe. '_No wonder he was promoted to Jonin.'_

"Anyway, I'm glad you are all alright, but please don't tell me you killed _everyone_." Torn said as he crossed his arms, emphasis on the word "everyone".

"No, we didn't." Sasuke said. He turned slightly and pointed at the top of a _huge_ boulder boulder behind him with his sword. "He's up there."

Looking up, Torn raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the leader of the second group, pinned near the top of the boulder by a kunai that was pierced through both of his hands. He was covered in blood with his head hung, looking as though he were unconscious. Upon closer inspection, Torn realized that he was actually asleep.

"He wouldn't stop cussing at us, even after we pinned him up there. So I shut him up with the same Genjutsu Kabuto used to put the arena to sleep during the invasion." Sakura said as she panted, her face drenched in sweat.

With a nod, Torn used a cluster of _Iron Sand _grains to pull out the kunai holding the Marauder Leader to the boulder, allowing his body to fall to the ground with a thud. Torn then wrapped him up using the _Iron Sand Coffin _like he'd done with the first one.

"Alright, let's head back to the village. We're done here." Torn said as he magnetically lifted both bodies off the ground.

Squad 7 nodded and wearily followed Torn down the forest path.

"Also, you guys have quite a story to tell. How about you guys fill me in over a few bowls of ramen." Torn added, looking over his shoulder with a smirk.

Instantly, Naruto's face lit up underneath his face mask.

"Now you're speaking my language! Last one there has to pay!" Naruto shouted before shooting forward like a bullet, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him.

Sakura, Sasuke, and Torn were left standing there for a few seconds before all three of them sweat-dropped at the same time.

"Wow...he really _IS _obsessed with ramen." Torn said.

"Trust me, you don't know the half of it." Sasuke and Sakura said in unison.

* * *

Sasuke listened disinterestedly as Naruto explained the mission details to Torn. They had arrived in the village only a few minutes ago, with the two incapacitated targets in tow. After leaving them with Ibiki Morino to be interrogated, Torn kept his promise and used his share of the payment to treat Squad 7 to Ichiraku Ramen as congratulations on a job well done.

Now, several minutes later, Torn was listening in mild interest as Naruto filled him in on what happened. Apparently, after having the crows land near the positions of the enemy, Naruto had used the _Shadow Clone Explosion Technique _to have the crows explode. The resulting chain of explosions killed off all of the surrounding Marauders, catching the main group of enemies my complete surprise. The resulting confusion at being discovered so quickly allowed Squad 7 to move in for the kill.

While Naruto and Sasuke handled the followers, it was Sakura who went for the big dog himself. Due to the leader using (*)_Earth Release Armor, _he was able to fight on par with Sakura's strength, resulting in the latter having to resort to a combination of Genjutsu and Taijutsu. She took some pretty hard hits here and there, but in the end, Sakura had been able to prevail and brought the big guy to his knees with a single, especially hard punch that not only shattered his armor, but also ruptured a few internal organs. Sakura then severed both of his Achilles Tendons with the _Chakra Scalpel_ before pinning him to the boulder and putting him to sleep with the (*)_Feather Illusion Jutsu _after he continued to shout a number of profanities.

What none of them knew, however, was that Sasuke didn't remember a thing. As he'd been fighting, he'd come under the influence of that intoxicating fragrance again. Driven by sexual tension and an uncontrollable urge to prove himself to Naruto as a suitable mate, Sasuke fought more fiercely than he'd ever fought in his life. Upon coming to his senses, Sasuke played it off and acted like his usual self, despite having no recollection of anything he'd said or done only a few minutes ago.

Even now, he still didn't remember anything. It was as if that part of his memory had been erased, and there was now a gaping blackhole in place of it. Though, he closed his eyes as he chewed and tried not to think about it too much. However, he stopped in mid chew and his eyes shot open as that smell assaulted his nostrils yet again.

'_Damn it, there it is again! Where is that smell coming from?' _Sasuke thought to himself in frustration. It _couldn't_ be just him that smelled it, that wouldn't make any sense. At least _somebody_ else had to notice it. It would prove he wasn't losing his mind.

"Hey, Torn, do you smell something...strange?" Sasuke asked from out of nowhere.

"Hm? No, I don't smell anything? Why? What does it smell like? Is it bad?" Torn asked.

"Well, actually..." Sasuke trailed off and blushed slightly.

"Naruto, did you fart again? How many times have I told you that it's impolite to do that in public!" Sakura said angrily as she punched Naruto across the head.

"Ow! It wasn't me this time, Sakura-chan. I swear, I didn't do anything this time." Naruto pleaded his innocence as he rubbed his now throbbing head.

As Sakura shook her head disapprovingly, Sasuke was now positive that he was losing his mind. How was it that nobody else smelled it but him? It was impossible. Yet, he clearly smelled _something_. Whatever it was, it was causing him to lose control of himself. And quite honestly, it was starting to scare him.

"Uh...Sasuke? You okay?" Torn asked, waving his hand in front of Sasuke's face, causing the Uchiha to jump slightly.

"What?"

"You zoned out for a minute. You didn't hit your head or anything during the mission, did you?" Torn asked.

"No, I'm fine. Now go back to your food." Sasuke snapped before he resumed eating.

Torn shrugged his shoulders, and finished off his own meal. '_Honestly, how Naruto-kun puts up with that guy, I'll never know.'_

* * *

Almost like a repeat of how he'd started the day, Sasuke found himself once again in the shower, groaning softly as he felt the warm, soothing sprays of water wash the dried blood and dirt from his skin and hair. He'd been standing there in that one spot for almost an hour now, but he didn't care. Plus, this gave him a moment to clear his head, as he was still nowhere near finding out the cause of that weird smell.

After wracking his brain for an answer for a few more minutes, Sasuke finally gave up and turned off the shower before drying off and slipping on his clean set of clothes. Upon emerging ahead of a large cloud of steam, Sasuke mentally groaned in exasperation as the pleasing aroma hit him smack in the face. It was like when you open a window, and you get a blast of air. As Sasuke walked into the living room, he found that the smell grew even stronger. Basically, it had spread throughout the entire apartment.

Baffled beyond words, Sasuke sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands, running them through his pitch-black hair. None of this was making sense. He had no clue where this smell was coming from, or what was causing it. All he knew was that it made him so crazy with lust to the point where he'd lose complete control of his own body. The biggest challenge was locating where it was coming from. So if he could at least figure that out, he could distance himself from whatever it was.

'_Alright, Sasuke, think long and hard about this. Wait...Fuck! Wrong choice of words!.' _Sasuke silently reprimanded himself as he felt his organ begin to stiffen in his boxers. '_Okay, just calm down and think__. There has to be a source. I don't know why I'm the only one that can smell it, but I know I'm not completely losing it. My body is physically responding to it, so it's obviously real. All I have to do now is isolate the source and avoid it as much as humanly possible. Now, concentrate Sasuke. Focus on the smell, and find the source.'_

Calming himself down with his own words of encouragement, Sasuke concentrated and allowed himself to fully indulge the funny aroma, despite the sexual tension it put on him. As Sasuke concentrated a slight amount of chakra to his nose, he was able to follow the smell more clearly, almost as if it left a trail. As he sniffed, he noticed that the smell grew even stronger in the kitchen area. Concentrating just a little more chakra to his nose, Sasuke carefully sniffed some more, tracing the strongest point back to...back to...

Sasuke's head shot up, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

'_Naruto? No, that's not right. It couldn't be...'_

However, after retracing the smell over and over again, after trying failing numerous times to find another explanation, Sasuke's suspicions were confirmed: Naruto was the source of the intoxicating smell. Said blonde was currently in the kitchen, happily humming a tune to himself as he scrubbed away at a pile of dishes that should've been washed days ago. All the while he was completely unaware of Sasuke watching him with hungry eyes.

'_No! Damn it, not again! I can't take him like that. I have to get out of here, and outside on the terrace. All I need is some fresh air.'_

With this in mind, Sasuke stood, all the while still aware of the half erection in his underwear. Carefully, he began to make his way to the sliding glass door.

* * *

Naruto continued to hum happily to himself as he dried off his hands after draining the dirty dishwater and putting away the last plate. As he looked up at the full moon through the kitchen window, he couldn't help but smile as he thought back to some of the times he and Iruka would lay up on the roof and star gaze for hours, often losing track of time. They were small moments, but moments that would stick with Naruto for the rest of his life. It was one of the few things that would make him happy if he was feeling lonely.

Giving the moon one last nostalgic gaze, Naruto closed the curtains, turned to walk away...and bumped right into Sasuke's chest.

"Oh! Jesus, teme, you scared me. Don't sneak up on...me...like..."

Naruto let his voice trail off as Sasuke stared down at him, still as a statue. Seconds passed, and Sasuke continued to silently loom over Naruto like an imposing figure. It was times like these that Naruto hated being the shorter one, cause Sasuke was making him feel _REALLY _small at that moment. Quite frankly, it freaked Naruto out, so much so that he took a cautious step back. Furthermore, the continuing silence, and the fact that Sasuke still hadn't so much as blinked, only added to the creepiness of the situation.

After taking a step back, Naruto's eyes slowly, very slowly, trailed down from Sasuke's lust filled eyes to land on the rather large, and prominent, tent in the Uchiha's boxers. Mouth ajar, Naruto only had a second to stare back up at Sasuke before the Uchiha wrapped him in his arms without warning.

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of his head as Sasuke's lips crashed into his. Instinctively, Naruto tried to push Sasuke away, but doing so was like trying to move a brick wall. No matter how much he pushed, the Uchiha didn't budge an inch. Instead, Sasuke pressed him against the counter, and kissed him more hungrily. As he continued to struggle, Naruto suddenly stiffened and stopped fighting all at once as a sudden powerful wave of pleasure washed over him. Without even realizing what he was doing, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck and began to return the kiss with just as much passion. He didn't know where this lust came from, but right now, he wanted Sasuke so badly, words simply couldn't describe.

Breaking the kiss momentarily, Sasuke grunted as he lifted Naruto onto the counter before tearing the blonde's shirt off. Groaning like an animal, Naruto wrapped his legs around Sasuke's waist and literally purred in pleasure as the Uchiha embraced him. No longer in control of his actions, Sasuke hungrily kissed on Naruto's collarbone before repeatedly licking the skin presented to him, inhaling more of that intoxicating scent.

Sasuke licked up Naruto's neck before capturing the blonde in another searing kiss, completely driven by insatiable lust. Naruto felt his nails lengthen into claws, which he then used to rip up Sasuke's shirt to ribbons as they kissed. Now shirtless, Sasuke pressed himself against Naruto fully before picking him up again and sitting him on the table. All the while, that wonderful purring was edging him on.

Naruto pulled Sasuke's upper body ontop of him as he laid back, never breaking the passionate kiss. He raked his claws down Sasuke's bare back, causing the Uchiha to open his mouth as he let out a moan of pleasure, allowing Naruto to bring his tongue into play. Wanting to feel more, Sasuke ground his hips into Naruto's, earning a moan from both lovers.

With a growl, Naruto shredded Sasuke's boxers next, freeing the Uchiha's thick erection before pulling him back in to continue another passionate make-out session.

"Not...here...bedroom." Sasuke said, saying each word when the opportunity would allow.

"No, right here. Take me now." Naruto panted as he suddenly stood and dropped his shorts and boxers in one motion.

The lust driven fox then placed both hands on Sasuke's chest as the Uchiha lovingly embraced him again; all the while, Naruto was unaware of his eyes changing from blue to red in a matter of seconds, his whisker marks becoming more pronounced. Breaking away suddenly, Naruto turned and braced himself over the table.

Of his body's own accord, Sasuke moved forward and received a low groan from his mate as he gently squeezed the plump rear exposed to him. Grasping Naruto by the hips, Sasuke plunged forward and covered Naruto with his bulk before moving his hips sensually. That was last thing Sasuke remembered before he lost full control of himself and blacked out completely.

**Earth Release Armor: This techniques coats the users body with stones, making them much more resistant to attacks, at the cost of some speed. While using this armour, the stone layer can be manipulated to form blunt weapons for stronger attacks. One can also change their appearance with the stone layer.**

**Feather Illusion Jutsu: This jutsu causes everyone within a specific area to fall into a deep sleep. From the target's point of view, it seems as if feathers are falling from the sky, which serves as a distraction to allow the jutsu to take effect. The downside, however, is that any experienced ninja have more than enough time to dispel it.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and don't forge to drop a review.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Alright guys, as I promised, the ShikamaruxNeji pairing will take place in this chapter. Now, you may think introducing this pair right now is a bad idea, but actually it will allow enough time to pass in the story for what I want to happen next. You'll just have to see what I mean. Anyway, this is in response to the poll I posted in the other chapter, asking whether or not you guys wanted this pairing. You all said "yes", so here it is. **

**And don't worry, this chapter is all I need to introduce this pairing. With that being said, this chapter is going to be a little lengthly. Also, I feel really, _really _****about having you guys wait for so long for this chapter. I don't blame you guys for being mad, and I actually will accept flames for this. I deeply apologize for the delay. **The story will continue in the next chapter. I promise.

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 45**

Neji Hyuga let out a yawn as he sat up in his bed, wincing slightly after being blinded by the bright sunlight streaming in through his bedroom window. His alarm clock went off a few seconds later, prompting the Hyuga to press the snooze button. There was really no point in setting every night, as his internal clock always woke him up at 7:30. He couldn't help it really, as it had become sort of a habit. With a yawn, Neji slipped out bed and proceeded to do his usual morning stretches before going into the bathroom to take his morning shower.

An hour later, Neji emerged from his room, dressed in the traditional white Hyuga robes, and calmly began to make his way to the kitchen area for breakfast. As he walked, Neji let his thoughts wander to how things had changed since the Chunin Exams "concluded"

For starters, after losing to Naruto in the first battle of the Final Rounds, Neji had experienced what's called a "change of heart.", as he'd completely abandoned the concept of inescapable fate. No longer bound by the idea that he was stuck at his current status, Neji resolved to become strong enough to never again lose a battle. To do so, he began putting more emphasis on working well with his team, and started to value a mission's successful completion and his team-mates' safety over his own betterment. He got along with his teammates better and he even encouraged Rock Lee to pursue his dream of becoming a great ninja, despite not being able to mold chakra properly.

The biggest change in Neji's personality, however, was that he'd let go of his hatred toward the head family. To everyone's complete surprise, Neji had become much kinder to Hinata and had even become a bit protective of her, seeing as how he didn't entirely approve of her relationship with Kiba. In addition to that, Neji had also begun to train with his uncle, Hiashi. However, the two still didn't always see eye to eye. Lately, he'd also been working on trying to improve the relationship between the head family and the side branch.

Finally making his way to the kitchen, Neji wasn't surprised to see that the kitchen, or rather cafeteria, was already crowded with a combination of servants and members of the Hyuga Clan. The kitchen area was filled with the the sound of a million conversations going on at once and the clatter of plates, silverware, and dishwashers. Looking around, Neji spotted a shorter table. To be more specific, it was the table Hiashi was sitting at.

Hiashi himself was sitting at the head of the table, reading the morning newspaper. The plate in front of him was already clean, his coffee mug half empty. In the chair down from him sat Hinata, and beside her, Kiba. Much to Neji's chagrin, the Inuzuka was sitting closer to Hinata than Neji would've liked. After preparing his plate at what could be considered a buffet table, Neji took a seat across from Hinata and sat next to her younger sister, Hanabi, who greeted him with a warm smile.

"G-good morning, Neji-niisan." Hinata stuttered timidly.

"Good morning, Lady Hinata." Neji replied. "I trust you slept well?"

"Actually she didn't 'sleep' at all." Kiba muttered loud enough for Hinata to hear, causing her to blush.

Neji's eyes narrowed.

"What was that, Inuzuka?" Neji threatened.

"Huh? I didn't say anything." Kiba replied, feigning innocence.

Neji's scowl deepened.

Honestly, he would _never_ know what Hinata saw in the Inuzuka. Kiba was loud, sarcastic, rowdy, and he looked as though he had a problem with personal hygiene. In fact, a disapproval of Kiba dating Hinata was one thing that Neji and Hiashi actually agreed on. It wouldn't be so bad if only Kiba wasn't such a bad influence. For one thing, he always kept her out past curfew, and recently, Hinata had begun to wear tops that revealed more of her cleavage than Neji felt was necessary, something he was sure Kiba had something to do with. Either way, Kiba made his cousin happy, so Neji would tolerate him, at least for Hinata's sake.

"Good morning, Lord Hiashi." Neji said warmly, turning his attention to his uncle.

"Hn." Hiashi replied, not even looking up.

'_Fuck you too then.' _Neji thought as he narrowed his eyes before digging into his breakfast.

The rest of the breakfast continued quite peacefully for the most part. Of course, with Kiba around, it didn't stay that way for long. For the remainder of breakfast, Kiba intentionally did things that he knew would piss Neji off, such as whispering things in Hinata's ear that made her blush, and touching the Hyuga heiress under neath the table. By the time breakfast was over, Neji was about ready to ring Kiba's neck. Rather than give in to his temptation, however, Neji went back to his room to slip on his shinobi sandals before heading out to the training fields to begin his morning training.

* * *

An hour later found Neji standing in the middle of the training field, with his back to several wooden, though now beaten up, training pillars. Taking a deep breath, Neji cleared his mind and activated his Byakugan, bathing his entire vision in black and white. Using his 360 degree field of vision, Neji was able to look 50 meters behind him, past wooden pillar No. 2, and counted the birds as he zoomed out to his maximum range.

"Hmmm...seven. There are exactly seven birds within 50 meters of pillar No. 2." Neji said to himself, just as the seven birds behind him took flight.

As he deactivated his Byakugan, Neji became aware of a familiar chakra signature emerging from the forest behind him. Just from familiarity, Neji knew who it was without even having to turn around.

"What do you want, Tenten? Shouldn't you be with Lee?" Neji asked uninterestedly, referring to the kunoichi's relationship with their green spandex wearing teammate. His two teammates had recently begun dating not too long after the attack on the village.

"Hey Neji. Normally I would be, but Lee is off on a mission with Guy-sensei right now. So, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hangout or something? Maybe we could visit Lady Tsunade, if you're up for it. You haven't seen her yet, have you? Do you wanna go with me?" Tenten asked, a little out of breath from making her way through the wooded area of the training field.

"No, not right now. I have more training to do." Neji replied as he looked up at the birds flying overhead with amusement.

'_Well, how about that. It seems I miscounted. There were actually **eight** birds behind pillar No. 2, not seven.' _

"Oh. Well, maybe I could train with you. We haven't trained together since the Chunin Exams." Tenten suggested.

Knowing that Tenten wasn't going to go away, Neji inwardly sighed and activated his Byakugan again as he turned to face her.

"Very well, Tenten. Come at me then." Neji said as he got into a defensive stance.

Tenten smiled and pulled out her scrolls.

* * *

Another hour later found Neji wandering through the streets of Konoha aimlessly, hands folded within the loose sleeves of his robes. Training with Tenten had helped Neji to blow off some steam after almost blowing up at Kiba, however, it had been too easy as always. None of Tenten's attacks got through, and Neji really didn't even have to try in order to defend himself. Even now, he hadn't even broken a sweat, whereas Tenten had been left out of breath by the time training was over.

Since he didn't really feel like going home and dealing with Hiashi's condescending attitude, Neji opted for taking a little walk. He wasn't actually going anywhere in particular, but it beat going home at the moment. Plus, taking a friendly little stroll was a stress reliever for him, and it helped to calm his mind.

Despite usually being alert, Neji let his guard down and became oblivious to the world around. He didn't pay any attention to the people he passed, nor did he really much attention to where he was going. So, with that being said, it was no surprise when he ended up bumping into someone as he rounded a corner, knocking him and the other guy flat on their asses.

"Hey! Watch where you're-" both of them coincidentally started in unison.

However, both of them stopped in mid sentence when they saw who the other was.

'_I...It's...him.' _Neji thought to himself as he took in the spiked ponytail, flak jacket, and irritated expression.

It was that boy again, the one from the Nara Clan. Neji hadn't seen much of him since the Chunin Exams, but every now and then, the boy would randomly cross his mind. There were even times when Neji would zone out, wondering where the boy was or what he was doing. Just like the previous times he'd encountered the boy before, Neji felt his heart-rate speed up suddenly for some reason.

'_Oh shit. As if my luck couldn't get any worse, I end of bumping into Neji Hyuga of all people. The only way this could be even more troublesome is if I just happened to catch him in a bad mood.' _Shikamaru thought tensely as he stared back at the Hyuga genius, expecting the worse. He still remembered what the guy had done to Hinata during the Preliminaries, and Neji really wasn't someone Shikamaru wanted to fuck around with. Even still, he'd hold his own if the Hyuga wanted to get violent.

"Sorry about that, dude. I wasn't paying attention." Shikamaru said as he stood and dusted himself off before offering a hand.

Never breaking eye contact, Neji slowly accepted the hand and allowed Shikamaru to pull him to his feet. To Neji's surprise, the boy's hands were surprisingly soft, nothing like the ruffness he'd expected them to be. Unfortunately for Neji, he was so caught up in admiring the softness of Shikamaru's skin that he didn't notice that he was still holding the Nara's hand.

"...Uhh...you can let go anytime now, dude." Shikamaru said.

With a faint blush, Neji quickly let go of Shikamaru's hand.

"Sorry, I'm kind of having an off day." Neji apologized.

"Don't bother apologizing, it's too troublesome. And besides, it was an accident anyway, so don't worry about it." Shikamaru said with a shrug before continuing past Neji.

As Neji watched Shikamaru's slowly retreating form, he realized that he was missing a perfect opportunity to satisfy his curiosity about the boy. Only problem was, he couldn't remember the boy's name. He'd heard it back at the Preliminary Rounds, but at the moment, nothing clicked.

'_Damn it. What was his name? I know it started with a "S", but what was it? Crap, he's walking further away!"_

"Hey! Hold a minute!" Neji called out.

Shikamaru stopped and turned around, raising any eyebrow as Neji walked up to him about an arm's distance away.

"Sorry to bother you again, but you seem familiar. What is your name?" Neji asked.

Shikamaru raised both eyebrows this time. _The _Neji Hyuga, No. 1 Rookie from last year, wanted to know his name. Shikamaru found this interesting for a couple good reasons. First off, someone as smart and popular as Neji Hyuga was actually giving _him, _of all people, the time of day. Secondly, this was the same guy who'd originally said he wasn't worth fighting back at the Forest of Death. The guy had practically made Shikamaru feel like crap with just his presence. Now, that same guy wanted to know his name. Wow, talk about a weird turn of events.

"My name is Shikamaru. Why?" Shikamaru asked.

'_Shikamaru! That was it!'_

"No reason. Anyway, were you going someplace in particular?" Neji asked.

Shikamaru thought for a moment.

"Well, yes and no. I was gonna walk around for a bit before I go to my usual spot to watch the clouds." Shikamaru said after a moment.

"Watching the clouds...it's something you do often?" Neji asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I see. Well, do you mind if I tag along?"

Shikamaru couldn't hold back his look of his surprise. First, Neji actually wanted to know what his name was. Now the guy was suddenly asking to hang out? This was just a little _too _weird. And furthermore, since when did Neji Hyuga cloud gaze? Cloud watching was something that only Shikamaru and his father did, and on a regular basis at that. Then again, he couldn't really think of a reason to say no to the guy.

"Uh...sure. If you really want to, that is." Shikamaru said a little slowly, still very much in surprise.

"Great. Then lead the way." Neji replied, motioning forward.

"Uh...right."

After giving a slow nod, Shikamaru continued on his way with Neji in tow. As they walked, a few people here and there would cast glances their way, as they were not used to seeing the two together. Shikamaru noticed the looks they were getting, and quite honestly, it was starting to piss him off. Why couldn't people learn to mind their own business and go on with their lives? As they got a few more stares, Shikamaru found himself regretting ever agreeing to let Neji come with him in the first place more and more. Originally, he'd planned to take a friendly little stroll through town _on his own_. However, he'd let Neji come along because he didn't see any harm it could do. Now, he felt like smacking himself for not saying "no" right away.

After walking through town for several minutes longer, Shikamaru and his unexpected tag along arrived at a grassy hill in Konoha Park. Without a second of hesitation, Shikamaru laid flat on the soft grass, threw his hands behind his head, and proceeded to indulge in his favorite pastime with a sigh of relief. Within a few seconds, Shikamaru had already drifted off into his own little world, appearing to be mesmerized by the white, fluffy clouds floating overhead. All around was quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the blowing wind and the swaying of the grass. For Shikamaru, only one word could describe this moment: bliss. There was nowhere else he'd rather be.

As Shikamaru gazed up at the clouds, Neji watched him with interest. This boy was perhaps one of the strangest people he'd ever met, second to Guy-sensei. Nobody else he knew of spent their hours watching the clouds. Though, if Shikamaru liked it, then Neji decided he'd give it a try too. With a shrug of his shoulders, Neji laid down beside Shikamaru and proceeded to watch the clouds as they soundlessly floated by, unaware of the questioning sideways glance being sent his way.

"What is about the clouds that fascinate you, Shikamaru?" Neji asked after a long moment of silence.

"It's funny really. To put it simply, I envy them. Clouds have it so easy. Their only job is to float through life, and go wherever the wind takes them. That's my kind of life. Sometimes, or rather often at times, I wish I could live on a cloud and float far away from here. Life, in general, is just so troublesome. Sometimes I wish I could just leave it all behind, you know? Watching the clouds just helps me relax, I guess. It's something I've done since I was a little kid. Whenever I have a problem, I can come here, relax, and think of at least two hundred different ways to solve that one problem. I know, it sounds crazy to most people and you probably don't really understand. I don't expect you to since it's more my thing." Shikamaru explained.

"Actually, it's not crazy at all." Neji replied, earning him another look of surprise from the lazy Nara.

"You understand?"

"All to well. I live with a cold, overbearing, insensitive uncle named Hiashi Hyuga. He constantly makes Lady Hinata feel like utter crap, and he often treats his youngest daughter, Hanabi, as the favorite. He doesn't care about Hinata at all, and he hardly ever acknowledges her, even when she says hello. Despite how much she pushes herself, he never even spares her a glance. Since the Chunin Exams, I've grown closer to Hinata, and I often find myself looking after her since nobody else will...other than Kiba. As if that wasn't bad enough, Hiashi is practically a slave driver. Whenever I have to train with him, he has us spar for hours on end without rest. There have even been times where I've passed out from exhaustion. He expects so much out of me, it's a wonder how I get through it sometimes. I wouldn't mind getting away from it all, even if just for a little while"

A look of longing fell across Neji's face as he zoned out, staring up at the clouds.

As Shikamaru sat up and watched Neji's troubled expression, he realized that his original impression of the boy had been all wrong. He'd always thought of Neji as a cold-hearted, stuck up know-it-all who thought he was better than everybody else. It turns out though, Neji wasn't such a complete bastard after all. The guy was just a regular person dealing with serious family issues. Yet despite having an uncaring, slave driving uncle, protecting his cousin, and having a separated family, Neji was still able to appear perfectly calm and level-headed around others. If Neji could juggle all that and still keep his sanity for this long, then Shikamaru could respect that.

"Damn. I can't imagine having to go through that almost everyday. Then again, I feel you on the overbearing parental figure though. Your uncle Hiashi sounds almost like my mother. That woman can make even the toughest man piss in his pants. Moms can be so troublesome." Shikamaru said, earning a him a grin from the young Hyuga.

"I guess having overbearing parental figures is just something we both have in common." Neji replied.

Shikamaru chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess so."

For the next hour and a half, the two boys chatted about whatever crossed their mind. Some of their conversations were about their personal lives, childhood memories, their favorite movies, their favorite foods, and basically anything else they could think of. For Neji, it was a new experience. This was first time in his entire life he'd ever had someone to actually talk to, someone he could relate with.

For Shikamaru, the experience was more of a surprise then anything, as he hadn't expected to actually have such deep conversations with the Hyuga. Usually, the only two people he could really talk to were his father and Asuma-sensei. Now, he could add Neji to that list.

The two boys easily lost track of time and chatted for nearly five and half hours straight. By the time they realized just how late it was, it was dark enough to allow a few stars to be seen.

"Damn. I can't believe how fast time flew. I'm really gonna hear it from my mom this time. What a total drag." Shikamaru complained as he walked with Neji through town.

"I agree. Hiashi isn't going to be happy about this either." Neji agreed. He could already picture what was to come when he returned home.

As they walked for a little while longer, Shikamaru decided to ask the question that had been nagging him ever since Neji tagged along with him.

"Hey, Neji?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you wanna hang out with me anyway? I mean, not that I didn't enjoy the company or anything."

Neji thought for a moment, contemplating whether or not he should lie or just flat out tell the truth. In the end he decided to tell the half truth.

"Well, I guess because I was interested in pursuing a friendship. I do not have very many friends, or anyone to really talk to. So when I saw you again, I decided to take the opportunity and get to know you." Neji explained.

"You wanna be friends? Really?" Shikamaru asked.

Neji nodded.

"Alright. Then maybe we can hang out again sometime, or just text each other. You have a cell phone, right?"

Neji paused.

"Well...no. I never saw a need to have one." Neji admitted a little sheepishly.

"...Oh. Then I'll tell you what, how about I come visit you tomorrow? Say, around noon. Is that alright?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, that's fine." Neji said a nod.

"Cool. I'll see you tomorrow then, Neji. And good talking to you."

With a wave goodbye, Shikamaru disappeared in a swirl of leaves. A few minutes later, Neji walked through the gates of the Hyuga Compound and began to silently make his way to his room, being careful not to disturb Hiashi in his office. By a horrible twist of fate, however, Hiashi slid open his office door just as Neji was walking past.

"Where in the hell have you been, Neji? You were due home hours ago." Hiashi snapped.

Neji bowed his head in humility. "I apologize for my disappearance. I was out with a friend, and I lost track of time. It will not happen again, Lord Hiashi."

"See to it that it doesn't. I will be lenient this time, but next time, there _will _be consequences. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Lord Hiashi."

"Get to bed then. You'll need it for tomorrow."

Without another word, Hiashi slammed his office door shut and went back to his studies. Cursing under his breath, Neji made his way to his room and changed into his night clothes before sliding underneath the warm covers. As he drifted off into dreamland half an hour later, he dreamed of Shikamaru.

* * *

Neji panted as he barely deflected a series of palm strikes directed at his torso, using his wits to stay one step ahead of his uncle. Sweat dripped from Neji's face as he went on the offensive, launching a series of palm strikes of his own, all of which were easily blocked. The brilliant sun overhead beat down on the two combatants, the heat making their training all the more difficult. To make things a little easier, Neji opted for training shirtless in order to keep cool. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the sweat from running in Neji's eyes, preventing him from being able to properly see some of Hiashi's attacks coming until the last second.

Up until then, despite the burning sensation in his eyes, Neji had been lucky enough to successfully fight on par with Hiashi. However, in the next second, his "luck" ran out. As Neji lunged forward to deliver a palm strike to the center of Hiashi's chest, he looked over the latter's shoulder at the sidelines just in time to see Shikamaru emerge from the hallway leading to the training grounds. Neji gasped and blushed bright red as he came to the realization that Shikamaru was going to see him..._shirtless_. That one moment of hesitation was all the opening Hiashi needed. With a quick series of strikes, Neji was brought to the ground, gasping for air.

"What are you thinking, Neji? You never take your eyes off your opponent! You could be dead right now!" Hiashi snapped as he stood over Neji, who was struggling to catch his breath.

After lecturing Neji on his carelessness, Hiashi turned his attention to the other chakra signature behind him. The Hyuga Clan leader's scowl deepened as his eyes landed on Shikamaru.

"You there, boy, state your business." Hiashi ordered.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything." Shikamaru apologized, rubbing the back of his head. "I was here to visit Neji."

Hiashi deactivated his Byakugan and narrowed his eyes further. Who did this boy think he was to interrupt their training? And for something so stupid! As he prepared himself to tell Shikamaru off, Neji was finally able to pick himself up and intervene in the nick of time.

"I told him it was okay to arrive at this time, Lord Hiashi. Please, allow us to end training for the day, just this once." Neji pleaded, holding his stomach.

Hiashi growled. "Very well then. However, expect to make up for it the next time we train." Hiashi said before turning his back and making his to the hallway leading to and from the training grounds, giving Shikamaru another disapproving glare as he passed by him.

Completely oblivious to the glare, Shikamaru unknowingly found himself staring at Neji longer than he'd intended. "Ogling" would be the better word, for he instantly found himself captivated by the expense of tone muscles that made up the Hyuga prodigy's body. Years of hard training and missions had sculpted and defined them to perfection. The nearly naked upper torso glistened as the beads of sweat reflected the sunlight, and Shikamaru found himself watching one drop in particular as slowly slid down the Hyuga's muscular chest.

After snapping himself out his temporary trance, and feeling slightly ashamed of himself for staring, Shikamaru walked over to check on Neji. The Hyuga prodigy was still doubled over, holding his side and panting heavily while still sweating profusely.

"Hey, you okay? Sorry, I didn't mean to distract you." Shikamaru apologized for about the millionth time.

"You don't have to apologize. It's nothing really." Neji replied breathlessly as he stood up fully, only to double back over again.

Moving with speed that surprised even himself, Shikamaru caught the Hyuga and supported him underneath his shoulder. Neji muttered a "thank you" and allowed Shikamaru to help him to his room, where he was gently lowered onto the bed.

"I see what you were talking about when you said your uncle was an insensitive bastard. I can't believe he just left you there." Shikamaru said as he returned from the closet and handed Neji a towel.

"I'm used to it. Besides, it would be weird if he actually DID help me." Neji replied as he stood and gathered a clean set of robes from his closet before heading into the bathroom for a shower.

As he listened to the sound of the shower running, Shikamaru thought back to his little staring episode only a few minutes ago. It not only surprised him, but also scared him a little. As far as Shikamaru knew, he wasn't gay. However, if he was, it would explain why he'd practically drooled over Neji only a few moments earlier. Plus, it would explain why he'd never really been attracted to females. Though, this was the first time he'd actually noticed a guy. Even still, he couldn't really be gay...could he?

With a sigh, Shikamaru laid back and threw hands behind his head.

"Damn it. This is so troublesome." Shikamaru said.

"What's troublesome?"

Shikamaru bolted upright and immediately noticed Neji, shirtless, rummaging through his closet for something. With the Hyuga's back to him, Shikamaru was again given a great view as the muscles rippled from Neji reaching up to the top shelf. Before Shikamaru even realized it, he was staring again, wide-eyed and open mouthed. Unfortunately, Shikamaru's gazing was cut short when Neji finally pulled out a white short-sleeved shirt and slipped it on over his head.

'_What the hell? I didn't even notice him get out the shower. Was I really **that **zoned out? And for that long?'_

"Shikamaru? What were saying about something being troublesome?" Neji asked, picking up where they left off.

"Huh?" Shikamaru replied, snapping out his gaze.

"You sat there for the longest time, staring off into space. You seemed to be deep in thought, so I decided not to bother you. Then you said something was troublesome. What was it?"

"Oh...uh...nothing, it's nothing. Anyway, you ready to go?"

Neji nodded as he and Shikamaru slipped on their shinobi sandals before heading out the door.

* * *

The afternoon outing was none more than a simple picnic Shikamaru had prepared before arriving at the Hyuga Compound. They ate at their usual spot as they had the day before. For the most part, they ate in silence, caught up in watching the clouds. Every now and then, one of them would speak up to ask a question about the other.

It was in this way Shikamaru found out about Neji's parents. For starters, Neji lost his father, Hizashi Hyuga, when he was still a small child. It was kind of a long and painful story, but Neji told him the story of his father anyhow. After he'd finished Shikamaru was left a little speechless.

"...Wow. So, that's why you used to believe in that 'you can't fight destiny' crap?" Shikamaru asked after a few seconds of silence.

Neji nodded. "My fight with Naruto opened my eyes. I realize now that I was wrong, and that my father's death was his way of taking control of his destiny for the first time in his life. He was not forced to give up his life as I thought he had."

"What about your mother?"

Neji went silent for a moment and his head drooped slightly. "I never knew my mother. Apparently, she was a woman my father encountered on his way back to the village from a mission. They had what's referred to as a "one night stand", and then she became pregnant with me. However, despite my father's urging, she did not want to come here with him to raise me as a family. So, after she had me, she left me in the sole care of my father instead. I don't even know what she looks like."

An awkward moment of silence passed between them as Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, feeling kind of like a jackass. Talking about his parents obviously seemed to upset Neji and now Shikamaru was mentally kicking himself.

"Sorry. I didn't know that was a touchy subject." Shikamaru apologized.

"It's alright. It feels better to talk about it, rather than keep it inside." Neji replied softly.

The two continued to talk for a couple more hours, completely oblivious to the fact that they'd eaten all of their food. As they talked, both noticed how easy it was to talk to the other. Rather than thinking of something to say, the words just came naturally. Neither person felt nervous around the other. By the time the two finished chatting, the sun was already halfway below the horizon.

Since he really wasn't in the mood to go home just yet, and because he wanted to spend more time with Shikamaru, Neji opted to go to the Nara household instead. At first, Shikamaru objected, as the last thing he wanted was for Neji to meet his parents. However, when Neji persisted that he wanted to learn how to play Shogi, Shikamaru had no choice but to oblige.

Much to Shikamaru's surprise, his parents took a liking to Neji right away. For the first time in his life, Shikamaru actually saw his mother give a genuine smile! In fact, she treated Neji as though he were another son, much to Shikamaru's chagrin. Fortunately, it all balanced out when Shikamaru got to witness Neji blush redder than a tomato. He found it...amusing, in a way.

Anyway, after learning the basics of Shogi, Neji found the game to be quite fun. He and Shikamaru played a few practice rounds first, just so Neji could get the actual hang out of it. When they started playing for real, Shikamaru was none to surprised to discover that Neji was a fast learner. Shikamaru won the first couple of rounds easily. However, the rounds quickly began to become more stretched out as Neji figured out the game. For the first time since learning how to play himself, Shikamaru actually found himself playing against someone who was almost as good as his father. Unfortunately, Neji still lost though.

By the time the two were done playing, it had gotten dark out. To Shikamaru's annoyance, his mother forced him to walk his new friend home, even though Neji was more than capable of walking home by himself. Either way, there was no arguing with Yoshino Nara, so Shikamaru winded up walking Neji home anyway.

* * *

Over the next several weeks, Shikamaru and Neji visited each other whenever they could find the time. As they became closer, they eventually started to learn more and more about the other. They would talk for hours and hours, getting to know each other and quickly losing track of time. It wasn't that long afterwards when they began having sleepovers. They would alternate, Neji staying at Shikamaru's and vice versa. It was a little awkward at first, as neither of them had ever had a sleepover before, but they quickly got into the feel of it after a few nights. Neji especially enjoyed having them because he got to play Shikamaru in Shogi. Unfortunately, he still never won though.

It wasn't too long after that when two eventually began to accompany each other on missions. Unsurprisingly, the two actually had excellent chemistry together. Even with just the two of them, they could do the work of an entire squad. At that point, the two became almost inseparable. Where one went, the other wasn't too far behind. In fact, Shikamaru found himself spending more time with Neji than he usually spent with Choji.

For Neji, he couldn't have been more happy. He was finally getting the chance to spend time with his secret crush, even though they were not dating. However, Neji kept in mind to hide his more personal feelings. He didn't know how Shikamaru would react, and he didn't want to ruin his new friendship. So, despite wanting something more, Neji accepted the friendship he'd been given. So far, everything had been going absolutely perfect. But then...

_It _happened.

It happened one night when Neji walked Shikamaru home after a mission that involved them apprehending a group of rogue ninja that had been causing trouble in the area. They had been gone for a couple of weeks, mostly doing surveillance, before actually engaging the group in combat after gaining enough solid evidence to bring them in. Neji found himself in a critical situation with a group of them, forcing Shikamaru to offer some much needed assistance. The mission turned out be more difficult than they had originally anticipated, but somehow, the two still managed to prevail in the end. However, they did not walk away without their share of injuries, though Neji's were minor compared to Shikamaru's.

Wanting to return the favor, Neji checked Shikamaru into Konoha Hospital upon their return, where Neji stayed with the Nara until the lazy genius was medically cleared to leave a number of days later. Being the devoted friend that he was, Neji assisted Shikamaru in making his way home that night, even though Shikamaru didn't really need any help.

"We have arrived." Neji announced as they arrived at the Nara Compound.

"Uh...Neji... Listen, I really appreciate this, but it really isn't necessary. Getting me to the hospital and staying there with me was thanks enough. This is just overdoing it." Shikamaru protested.

"I know, but I insist. It's the least I can do. After all, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be here right now." Neji replied as he handed Shikamaru his bag of medications.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, just don't start worshiping me or nothin. That would be both troublesome _and _creepy, but especially creepy."

Neji grinned. "I'll keep that in mind Shikamaru. Good night."

Without thinking, Neji leaned forward and delivered a kiss on Shikamaru's lips. Feeling Shikamaru tense, Neji finally came to his senses, and quickly pulled away as though he'd been burned.

'_No! I didn't just do that!' _Neji screamed in his head, hoping this was all a horrible dream. However, it wasn't. Shikamaru's expression was proof of that. More than anything at that moment, Neji wished life came with a "reset" button more than ever. He would've given anything for a second chance, but there was no taking it back. His secret was out.

Shikamaru said nothing as he gaped at Neji in open-mouth shock. For what seemed like hours, the two stood there as still as a couple of statues, neither really knowing what to say. Neither of them breathing. For Neji, it was the scariest moment of his life. He'd ruined everything, he knew it. Shikamaru would never wanna speak to him again, not even spare him so much as a glance. He wanted to turn and run, but his body would not respond.

"...Shikamaru...please...I-I'm sorry. I...I-I didn't mean..." Neji stammered, unable to get the right words out.

Cautiously, he took a step forward. Shikamaru, however, took a step back.

That one step backwards was all it took for Neji's heart to shatter into a million pieces. Just like that, the friendship Neji had cherished more than his life itself was gone in an instant. All because of one slip up...

Muttering another apology, Neji turned on his heel and bolted in the opposite direction toward the Hyuga Compound, not even daring to look back. As he watched Neji run away, Shikamaru finally came back to his senses after getting over the shock of what had just happened. That was his first time ever actually being kissed, let alone by another guy. On the other hand, Shikamaru now understood why Neji wanted to hang out all the time. Apparently, he'd caught the young Hyuga's eye.

"N-Neji...Neji! Wait a second! Come back! Neji!" Shikamaru yelled.

However, Neji did not hear him. So he kept running...and running. He did not stop until he was back in his room, in his bed, where he curled into a ball under the covers and let the tears fall freely, something he hadn't done since his father had died so many years ago.

* * *

Several weeks passed, and Neji had neither spoken to nor seen Shikamaru since "that" incident. How could he ever? Now that Shikamaru knew how he really felt, things between them would never be the same again. It had been made obvious that Shikamaru didn't accept him, and now Neji found himself alone.

During the past several weeks, Neji had fallen into what could be called a depression. He hardly spoke to anyone, and he appeared almost withdrawn from the world around him. He would often space out while someone was talking to him, he'd skip dinner, and he'd shut him himself in his room for days at a time, only coming out when he was hungry. The only person Neji confided in was Hinata, who'd sworn not to tell anyone. Concerned, she'd tried to drag Neji out of his depression, but to no avail.

Even worse, the depression had caused a significant drop in his skills. During training, Neji would be so unfocused that he'd often find himself being beaten to within an inch of his life by Hiashi, who would show Neji no mercy, even though there was obviously something wrong. There were even times when Neji wouldn't even bother putting up a defense. Fortunately, Hinata was always more than happy to treat her cousin's injuries.

This horrible pattern of behavior continued for a couple more weeks until one night, when Neji got an unexpected visitor. He'd been lying in his bed in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling, when there was a knock at his bedroom door.

"It's open." Neji said softly, though just loud enough for the person on the other side to hear.

As his bedroom door slid open, Neji squinted his eyes as the hallway light blinded him, allowing him to see only the person's silhouette. After his door was closed, Neji waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark again before he was able to fully see who it was.

It was Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru? What're you doing here?" Neji asked as he sat up, unable to hide his look of surprise.

"Neji...we need to talk." Shikamaru said as he slipped off his sandals and sat on the edge of the bed.

With those words, Neji already knew what this was about.

He lowered his head. "...I'm sorry. I...I messed everything up."

Shikamaru was silent for a few moments. "...Why didn't you just tell me?" he finally asked.

"I was afraid. I didn't know how you would take it. Instead, I accepted friendship in the place of how I really felt. After we became friends, I knew I could never really tell you how I felt. So I'd planned to keep it a secret. I did not mean to kiss you that day. It...it just happened. I wasn't thinking, and I apologize. My emotions got the better of me."

Again, Shikamaru was silent as he let all of this sink in. "...How long have you felt this way?"

"...Ever since I first saw you a while ago. I would see you around the village every now and then, and I would find myself staring. I would feel jittery and my pulse would start racing. I'd always hoped that I would get a chance to finally meet you, and that chance came in the form of the Chunin Exams."

"Okay, but in the Forest of Death, you were a total asshole. You put both me and my squad down." Shikamaru pointed out.

"It was an act. I still wasn't quite sure how I felt yet, so I had to come off that way. It would've been crazy for me to admit how I felt right then and there."

Another long, awkward silence passed between them. Neji ran a hand through his long hair as he waited for Shikamaru to say something, anything. The silence was driving him nuts with tension.

"...Do you hate me, Shikamaru?" Neji finally asked, breaking the silence.

"...No. I'm still a little pissed that you didn't tell me, but I don't hate you. Honestly, I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling right now."

Neji sighed softly. "I still want us to be friends. Please, Shikamaru, this is the first friendship I've ever had like this and I do not want to lose it. I understand that it will not be that simple, but I do not want us to stop talking completely."

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head as things grew silent again. He'd come here to get this whole situation off his chest, as it had been plaguing him for weeks now. Now came the time where he had to make an important decision: accept Neji, or turn him down and remain "just friends." Of course, both choices came with their on setbacks. Accepting Neji and becoming a couple would have a negative impact on their negative image. People would point at them, talk about them, and they'd attract unwanted attention whenever they went out in public.

On the other hand, he and Neji could simply remain friends. However, with the Hyuga feeling the way he did, everything between them would be awkward. And awkwardness was one of the things in life Shikamaru hated more than anything. It would make their friendship difficult to say the least.

Shikamaru looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes as he weighed his decisions. It took him nearly five whole minutes, but in the end, he was finally able to make up his mind. It would be a drag, but he really didn't have anything to lose. Plus, he was kind of looking forward to it.

"Shikamaru?" Neji asked uncertainly. It had been almost five minutes now, and the lazy genius still hadn't said anything after growing quiet. It was obvious Shikamaru was deep in thought, but the tense silence was really starting to grate on Neji's nerves.

Suddenly, Shikamaru abruptly stood up, startling Neji and causing him to jump. Thankfully, Shikamaru didn't notice in the darkness. Without a word, Shikamaru stood up, removed his flak jacket, and released his hair from its spiky ponytail before turning to Neji.

"Scoot over." Shikamaru lazily ordered.

Realizing the true meaning behind the command, Neji eagerly moved over to his other pillow and allowed Shikamaru to slide underneath the covers with him. With a bored expression, Shikamaru threw his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, aware that Neji was giving a look of complete surprise.

Yes, in the end, Shikamaru chose to just to accept Neji as a boyfriend. Sure, they would get frowned at by nearly everyone in the village, but so the fuck what? Maybe having a partner in life wouldn't be so bad, even if he was another guy. It was better than going through life alone, as Shikamaru knew he wasn't going to be attracted to females anytime soon. His mother had basically ruined his entire impression of them, and there was no way he could deal with that like his father. Plus, his attraction to Neji had been made obvious from the way he ogled the Hyuga weeks earlier.

"Shikamaru...you really...?" Neji began before letting his voice trail off.

"Yeah, guess I'll give it a shot. I'm in if you are." Shikamaru replied.

"Of course I am. It's just...don't you realize what this will do to our public image? I can't help but feel a little guilty for bringing you down."

"You don't have to feel guilty about shit. I made the decision to pursue something further with you, even though I could've chosen for us to remain friends. Therefore, you have nothing to feel guilty about. _I_ made this decision, so I'll deal with the drawbacks that come with it. I know people are gonna look at us differently, but quite frankly, I can't say I give a fuck. Also, I wanna apologize if you thought I broke you heart a few weeks ago. You just...surprised me is all, and I wasn't prepared. I tried to find you, but you were never around. So, I decided to come by at a time when I knew you'd be at home."

"Sorry. I was under the impression that you never wanted to see me again."

"It's understandable. Besides, I should be the one apologizing for coming off that way."

Giving a small smile, Neji laid down and scooted closer to Shikamaru, the latter allowing the Hyuga to lay his head on his chest. The two were silent for a few moments before Neji spoke.

"Shikamaru...I have sort of a confession to make." Neji said.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asked.

"I...don't really know what to do from here." Neji finally confessed.

"Don't worry about it. We'll take it slow, and learn as we go along. Now, go to sleep already." Shikamaru replied as he closed his eyes.

Neji smiled and snuggled further into Shikamaru's chest before closing his eyes also. Thirty minutes later, and the two were fast asleep.

* * *

_Over the course of the next several weeks, Neji and Shikamaru secretly began to go on dates in their spare time. Whenever they were out in public, they made sure to look as inconspicuous as possible so as not to draw attention to themselves. They started off subtle at first, merely holding hands when no one was looking and giving each other quick pecks on the cheek or lips. It wasn't until much later that they started to actually practice making out. It was awkward at first, to say the least, as neither were really experienced in this department. However, they got better at it the more they practiced._

_To make communicating between them a little easier, Shikamaru bought Neji his first cell phone. Of course, Neji had absolutely no clue how to work the damn thing, even after having Shikamaru show him time after time again. After Neji got the hang of it (finally), the two were able to text back and forth whenever they couldn't see each other. They would easily lose track of time, and on more than one occasion, they would stay up all night messaging the other._

_Although Shikamaru wanted to be more open about their relationship, Neji still wasn't quite ready to deal with the publicity yet. Begrudgedly, Shikamaru agreed with Neji's wishes, and for the next couple of weeks, the only ones who knew were Neji's team, Squad 7, Squad 8, and Squad 9._

_Hiashi eventually did find out about Neji's relationship with Shikamaru, and he then proceeded to tell Shikamaru's parents._

_However, we'll save _that _story for another time._

**That concludes this chapter. Let the record show that I don't feel very good about this chapter, and I'm not sure if it really turned out to your liking. Please don't forget to review, and let me know what you think. I'm really interested in hearing what you think of this one, because I hate it. Really, I don't like this one. My opinion doesn't really matter though, since I wrote this particular one just for you guys. So please let me know what you think. It's okay if you wanna drop a flame. I'll accept them for this one.**


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 46**

There were a lot of things in life that pissed Sasuke Uchiha off: people, kids, and animals were just naming a few. However, the one thing in life that really bothered him, almost as much as Itachi still being alive, was when people refused to seek help when they really needed it. Thus was the case as Sasuke stood outside the bathroom door with his arms crossed, looking irritated as he listened in annoyance to Naruto puking his guts out for the second time that morning. Unlike his usual self, Sasuke was starting to become a little concerned.

Recently, or practically all month long, Naruto had been having trouble keeping down food. So far, the blonde had been vomiting 2-3 times each morning, usually after breakfast or shortly after waking up. Strangely, these episodes of vomiting didn't follow a specific pattern, as they didn't just happen during the morning. There were times where Naruto would throw up constantly throughout the day, and even after throwing up everything he'd eaten that day, the blonde would continue to dry heave. There were even times where he'd throw up before he'd even eaten anything at all. There was also one hilarious incident in which Naruto had accidentally barfed all over Sasuke when they'd spent the night with Iruka and Kakashi. For the first time, Sasuke _voluntarily _slept on the couch that night.

Despite the obvious fact that something was wrong, Naruto refused to go see a doctor, as he harbored an intense fear of hospitals. Plus, he didn't think it was that serious. He argued that if something was seriously wrong with him, the Nine-Tailed Fox would've already taken care of it. So, Naruto saw it as nothing more than a stomach virus. However, Sasuke didn't buy that shit for a second. Obviously, something was wrong, and it pissed Sasuke off to no end that Naruto refused to go see about it when it really could be something serious. Didn't he care about his health at all?

Finally, ten minutes later, Naruto emerged from the bathroom after cleaning himself up, only to come face-to-face with an irritated-looking Sasuke.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"You know _what_, usuratonkachi?" Sasuke replied, narrowing his eyes.

Naruto sucked his teeth. "Damn it, here we go again. For the last time, I'm fine. It's just a stomach flu."

"Like hell it is. What kind of stomach flu lasts all month long?"

Naruto shrugged Sasuke off and muttered a "what the fuck ever" as he made his way into the kitchen, an angry Sasuke in tow. After making himself a sandwich, Naruto sat down and began eating, ignoring the glare being sent his way from across the table.

After a few minutes, Naruto couldn't take it anymore. "Would you lay the fuck off already?" he said, banging his fist on the table.

"No, I won't. You need to go see a doctor, Naruto. It isn't natural for someone to be sick all month long. This could be the beginning of something life threatening for all we know." Sasuke reasoned.

"How many times do I have to keep telling you? It's impossible for a jinchuriki to be seriously ill. If it was something life threatening, the Nine Tailed Fox would've already taken care of it. A Tailed Beast will eliminate any threat to its vessel to save itself. Therefore, _THERE IS NO DANGER!_ Now would you please get off my back? You're really starting to piss me off!"

"And you're really starting to piss me off by not caring more about your health! What if this is something the Kyuubi can't ide-..."

Sasuke stopped and let his voice trail off as something finally dawned on him, something unusual.

"Wait a minute...Naruto, what are you eating?" he asked.

"A sandwich, teme. What does it look like?" Naruto replied smartly with a mouthful.

Frowning at his boyfriend's tone, Sasuke walked over to Naruto and quickly snatched the sandwich out of the blonde's hands as he was about to take another bite. As Naruto got up from his seat, he was easily held back down by Sasuke's foot. With his boyfriend temporarily subdued, Sasuke took off the top piece of bread and grimaced at what he saw. The bologna and cheese were covered with hundreds of little brown particles, and there was a big blob of a cold, white substance to top it off.

"Naruto, what the hell _IS _this?" Sasuke asked with a look of disgust.

"It's a sandwich with bologna, cheese, coffee grounds, and vanilla ice cream. Now give it back already." Naruto replied impatiently as he snatched the sandwich back and took another big bite.

"That's disgusting! No wonder you've been throwing up, dobe. You keep eating weird shit." Sasuke said with a disapproving frown.

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it." Naruto said as he popped the last bite into his mouth and chewed happily.

Sasuke just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose again in frustration. This was how it had been all month long. When he wasn't throwing up, Naruto could usually be found stuffing his face, and with some of the strangest things. Only last week, for example, Sasuke caught him pouring melted cheese ontop of an English muffin. Other things included: oatmeal mixed with ice cream, and pancakes with applesauce. There were even times where Naruto would eat things that weren't even_ foods_ at all, such as flour, soap, and even paper.

Not only had Naruto developed strange eating habits, he'd also developed an appetite that rivaled that of Choji's. Lately, Naruto found himself going to Ichiraku's a _lot_ more often than he normally did. It's basically where his mission pay had been going all month. Stranger yet, Naruto never actually seemed to get full, and he would seem to get hungry instantly whenever he smelled food. Half of what he ate, though, he usually threw back up.

The only normal part about the current month was that Sasuke's blackout episodes had stopped, and the weird fragrance coming from Naruto had disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Both occurrences had stopped after their last sexual episode, which Sasuke still didn't remember. He could remember bending Naruto over their kitchen table, but couldn't remember actually having sex. Apparently though, Naruto did, for he revealed that both he and Sasuke had kept going like animals until they were both shooting dust.

That should've been the end of it all. Apparently though, it had only been the beginning.

Sasuke let out another exasperated sigh as he watched Naruto take his dirty plate to the sink. No matter how much Naruto assured him, Sasuke still couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was one of those feelings in the pit of his stomach, and it was making him feel really uneasy.

"Stop looking at me like that, teme!" Naruto snapped angrily as he met Sasuke's expression, which was a combination of concern and annoyance.

'_I didn't even realize that I was staring that time.'_

"Naruto, for the last time, would you please just go and see a doctor already?" Sasuke asked firmly.

"And for the last time, _NO!_ That place reeks of death! If I go in, I might not come back out!"

"Listen to yourself! Do you know how crazy you sound right now? If you just go and get a check up, they might be able to catch whatever's wrong with you before it turns serious."

"That does it! I'm outta here! There's just no convincing you at all!"

As Naruto shoved his way past, Sasuke reached out and grabbed Naruto by his wrist. Naruto struggled and tried to pull away, but Sasuke's grip was too strong.

"Let go of me!" Naruto commanded as he struggled to pull himself free.

"Calm down for a moment, usuratonkachi. You're overreacting." Sasuke said calmly as he yanked Naruto closer.

"Ow! You're hurting me, you bastard!"

With a strong tug, Sasuke yanked Naruto into his arms and held him in a tight embrace. Naruto continued to struggle and cuss for a few more seconds, but he slowly calmed down when Sasuke, slowly and lovingly, stroked his back. Giving in to the soothing feeling, Naruto began to purr.

"I didn't mean to get you upset, Naruto." Sasuke said softly in Naruto's ear, sending shivers up the blonde's spine. "I'm just worried about you, that's all."

"Well, there's no need to be. I promise you, I'm fine." Naruto reassured Sasuke. "If something was seriously wrong, Kyuubi would take care of it. So relax, okay?"

"Fine." Sasuke replied softly as he gazed into Naruto's eyes. Deep, oceanic pools of blue met bottomless coals as Sasuke closed the gap between them, capturing Naruto's lips in a searing kiss.

Naruto melted into the kiss, letting out a soft moan as he grasped Sasuke by the back of his head, pulling him in closer. Without even having to wordlessly ask, Sasuke was granted immediate entrance, allowing his tongue to intertwine with Naruto's in a passionate dance. Quickly succumbing to his lust, Sasuke back Naruto up against the kitchen table. Naruto then eagerly jumped and wrapped his legs around Sasuke's waist, allowing the Uchiha to sit him on the table's surface, never breaking the kiss. With his legs still wrapped around Sasuke, Naruto laid back and reached out his arms, panting and inviting the Uchiha to come to him. As Sasuke prepared to climb on top, a series of loud knocks sounded at at the door, effectively ruining the moment.

'_Now w__ho the hell could that be?...And why do they have to show up **now **of all times!' _Sasuke thought to himself angrily.

With a frustrated sigh, Sasuke stepped away from Naruto and went to answer the door, already set to strangle whoever it was with bad timing. With a scowl, Sasuke yanked open the door and came face to face with a familiar figure. This familiar character had yellow eyes, gray tattoos around both eyes, and fiery red hair that was spiked in the back, much like Sasuke's. He wore the same uniform worn by the ANBU Black Ops, complete with a porcelain animal mask that was hooked to his belt along with two brown bags, as well as a Konoha headband that was tied tightly around his head. His face was marred by its usual permanent frown.

"What do _you_ want?" Sasuke snapped, still holding the door open.

"Good morning to you too, Uchiha. Tell me, is that Curse Mark still giving you trouble?" Errol asked with a sneer.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"How did you...?" Sasuke trailed off, his hand instantly going to cover the spot on his neck. He still hadn't told Naruto about it yet, and he was glad the blonde hadn't asked. How Errol knew about it though, Sasuke would never know.

"I have my ways of knowing, _Uchiha_." Errol replied, spitting out Sasuke's last name as though it tasted bitter. "Anyway, I'm just here to inform you that you have a mission briefing in about one hour from now. Kakashi-senpai has another mission to attend to, so I will be leading this one. I will explain the mission details at the training field. Don't be late. Oh, and tell Naruto-kun I said hello."

With smirk, Errol disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Deepening his scowl, Sasuke slammed the door closed and locked it. He couldn't get over how Errol knew about the Curse Mark. The only ones who were supposed to knew were himself Sakura, Kakashi, and of course, Orochimaru himself. The fact that Errol now knew had Sasuke a bit worried. If he knew about the Curse Mark, what else did he know about?

'_He must've seen it during my fight with Gaara at the arena.' _Sasuke thought to himself.

"Sasuke? Who was it? I heard my name." Naruto said from behind as he got down from the table, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"That friend of yours, with the spiky red hair and arrogant attitude." Sasuke replied, looking over his shoulder.

"Oh, you mean Errol! What did he want?"

"He said we have a meeting in about an hour or so. He'll be leading us on a mission since Kakashi apparently has another mission to deal with right now...Oh, and he says hey."

"A mission? Finally! It feels like forever since we had something to do! I'm gonna go get ready!"

With a huge grin on his face, Naruto bounded back to the bedroom to get changed out of his nightclothes. Sasuke stayed behind a moment longer, subconsciously covering up the black symbol on his neck. It didn't throb anymore, but other than the fact that it could give him tremendous power, Sasuke still didn't know very much about it. Plus, he was kind of afraid to ever use it in the first place. It had almost gotten him killed during the fight against Gaara, and before that, he'd almost killed Naruto back at the Forest of Death. Speaking of which, he was surprised Naruto hadn't noticed yet. If he did already know, he was doing a good job of hiding it.

After shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Sasuke made his way to the bedroom to change into his attire.

* * *

"You're gonna get pissed at me for saying this, but I really think there's something wrong with you." Sasuke said as he and Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, hand-in-hand.

"If you say that one more, teme, my foot is gonna go so far up your ass...! Naruto replied angrily, letting his voice trail off.

The two were making their way to the training field, deciding to take the long way this time. Normally, Naruto would use the _Flying Thunder God Technique _and simply teleport them there, as he had already applied the necessary jutsu formula to one of the trees there some time ago. However, the pair chose to simply walk this time, as they wanted to spend a little quality time. Plus, it had been some time since their last outing.

On their way to pick up Sakura from over at the Yamanaka Flower Shop , the pair decided to stop by Ichiraku Ramen for a quick snack, calling it a _mini date_. Like all the times before during the month, Naruto happily engorged himself until he'd completely emptied his wallet. And again, like the times before, he was nowhere near full.

"Hello you two. I figured I'd catch you guys here." a familiar face said as he poked his head through the entrance of Ichiraku's.

Turning around in their chairs, the couple were surprised to see none other than their silvered-haired sensei, who greeted them with a wave, smiling with his visible eye.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! What brings you here?" Naruto asked cheerfully before adding yet another empty bowl to his already high stack.

Kakashi noticed the stack of bowls and sweat dropped. "Well...I still had a few minutes before my mission, so I thought I'd drop by for a bit."

"Hmmm...Hey, Naruto, if you're still not full, I'll pay for the next round." Sasuke said suddenly, catching Naruto a little off guard as the Uchiha tossed him his wallet.

"Really? Thanks teme! You're not such a dick after all!" Naruto said before ordering another bowl of miso pork ramen.

Sasuke ignored being called a dick, and hopped down from his stool. He grabbed Kakashi by the wrist and pulled the silver-haired Jonin to the side of the stand where they could be out of sight.

"Kakashi, I need to talk to you for a minute." Sasuke said.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Uh...okay. What seems to be the problem?"

Sasuke took a deep breath and explained to Kakashi everything that had been happening that month. He went as far back as the weird smell and the blackout episodes, as well as of his last sexual encounter with Naruto, before telling about the vomiting and the weird food cravings. Throughout the story, Kakashi listened intently, processing each bit of information. When Sasuke finally finished, Kakashi took a moment to form a hypothesis. The one he came to, however, was rather...unlikely.

"Well, vomiting all month long _is_ a reason to voice concern. That sort of thing isn't exactly normal. However, Naruto does have a point about the Nine-Tailed Fox. If it there really was something that posed a threat to his well-being, the Nine-Tailed Fox would eliminate whatever it is in order to save itself. Remember, if the vessel dies, the Tailed Beast dies as well. With that being said, I doubt it's anything too serious, but I understand why you'd be a little worried." Kakashi reasoned.

"However, with everything else you've told me so far, I really don't know what else to say. That smell you were talking about, and those memory lapse episodes are just plain unusual. The whole time I was around Naruto, I never smelled anything out of the ordinary, and I find it odd how you're the only one who smelled anything. After thinking it over for a bit, the only thing I can come up with is that Naruto is pregnant somehow. But...that's just absurd. I mean, he _is_ a boy after all."

"I know that much at least, but I'm at a loss for words here. I really think he might be sick, but Naruto is stubborn and he refuses to go see a doctor."

"Well that sounds about right, considering he has a fear of hospitals."

Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh as he ran a hand through his raven-colored locks. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but I wish that dobe would take it more seriously."

Kakashi was about to voice his opinion when he was interrupted by a high-pitched beeping sound. Checking his wrist, Kakashi saw that it was his watch reminding him that it was time for his mission to begin.

"Listen, Sasuke, it's time for me to go. We'll talk more about this later, okay? Ciao."

With a friendly wave goodbye, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Letting out a trademark "Hn", Sasuke turned and walked out from the alleyway just as Naruto emerged from Ichiraku, patting his belly with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Boy, that was refreshing. Thanks for paying, Sasuke." Naruto said as he tossed said Uchiha his wallet.

Sasuke's passive face became marred with a frown as he opened it, revealing its contents to be empty. '_Great. There goes the rest of my pay."_

"Hey, where did Kakashi-sensei go?" Naruto asked disappointedly as he looked around.

"He just left. Now c'mon, we have to go pick up Sakura." Sasuke said as he tucked his wallet back into his shirt before turning, and walking away.

Naruto hurried to catch up.

* * *

25 minutes later, Squad 7 was fully assembled at the training field, sitting cross-legged on the soft green grass. Errol reached into one of the pockets of his ANBU uniform and pulled out a map of Konoha Forest, which he then laid out on the tree stump that sat between him and his team. He then cleared his throat to gain their undivided attention.

"Alright, I'm only gonna say this once, so listen closely. I hate having to repeat myself. Our mission objective is to execute a group of bandits that have been responsible for a series of robberies in the area. According to the reports I've received, the group consists of petty thieves, as well as rogue ninja who are rumored to be at least of Chunin rank. I have been instructed to bring back the leader's head as proof of his death. So, leave him to me. Also, even though this mission is classified as B-Rank, it differs from that of a normal assassination mission." Errol explained.

"How so?" Sakura asked.

"Because this particular mission comes to us from Sunagakure. Since we will be working with one of their agents, this will be a joint assassination mission. We are to meet with them here, on the shore of the Yangtze River." Errol said, pointing to the correct location on the map.

At hearing this bit of information, Squad 7 instantly grew tense. Even though it had been a month since the invasion, and even though Orochimaru had been revealed to be the real culprit, they still weren't looking forward to working with Sunagakure again.

"Why the hell are we working with the Sand Village all of a sudden? I suppose we're going to be working with the Sound Village too then, huh? And besides that, can't Sunagakure handle this themselves?" Naruto asked angrily.

"Sunagakure is trying to make amends for the invasion. So, to build better relations between our village and theirs, we have begun working with them on a number of joint missions. Your squad is no exception. Don't get me wrong, I don't like working with those bastards either. However, if it's for the betterment of the village, we might as well cooperate. Secondly, I can assure you that we will not be working with the Sound Village. Not now, not ever. If I could have it my way, I'd slaughter that entire village myself." Errol replied firmly.

"Alright. So who specifically are we gonna be working with?" Sasuke asked.

"I myself have no idea. We'll just have to see when we get there."

Squad 7 nodded and stood up. After brushing themselves off, they got prepared to move out before they were stopped by the sound of Errol clearing his throat again. They turned to find Errol giving them a hard stare, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What is it now?" Sasuke asked impatiently. He was ready to get the mission over with as quickly as possible.

"There are still two hours before we're scheduled to head out. Since this is only our second time going on a mission since the Marauder Syndicate Incident, I need to have a proper assessment of your skills in battle. In other words, we're going to have a little sparring match as a warm up: the three of you vs. me." Errol explained as he folded the map back up and tucked it away.

"Sparring match? You're a captain of the ANBU Black Ops. There's no way we can actually beat you." Sakura protested.

"I never said you had to actually beat me, silly little girl. This just so I can have a better understanding of your individual skills. That way, I know what areas to work on before we set out for our mission. For this to work out, however, you will have to attack as though you intend to kill me. Hold nothing back, understand?" Errol said.

Squad 7 nodded.

Giving a nod of his own, Errol then unzipped the two bags that hung on his utility belt, allowing his _Iron Sand _to float up in response to his magnetic chakra. Summoning the full contents of both bags, Errol commanded the _Iron Sand _to float above him like an ominous black cloud. Then, like a heavy sack of potatoes, it crashed to the ground, creating a black sea that completely submerged the tall grass Errol stood on. Errol then slowly raised both hands, causing the black sea under him to swirl and churn as dozens of thick black tentacles, made completely out of _Iron Sand_, sprang up from the main body under his feet.

Not at all unnerved, Sakura pulled her gloves tighter around her fists, Sasuke unsheathed his sword, and Naruto equipped his brass knuckle-like Chakra Blades. Taking deep breaths of their own, Squad 7 charged forward.

* * *

Sasuke hurriedly leaped from rooftop-to-rooftop as he carried an unconscious Naruto in his arms. Never before had he been so alarmed, so frantic. One minute, Naruto is fighting alongside him. The next minute, the blonde suddenly collapses from out of nowhere, hardly breathing at all.

'_Damn it, Naruto. I knew it. I should've taken you to the hospital straight from the start, no matter what you said. Now look at what's happened.' _Sasuke reprimanded himself as he leaped from the roof of another house.

* * *

_The sparring match with Errol had gone splendidly at first. All three members of Squad 7 had worked in perfect harmony with each other. They followed up each other's combos, used each other's techniques as diversionary tactics, and looked out for each other's well being as they moved in for a hit. Despite their outstanding teamwork, they were still unable to break though Errol's Iron Sand, which acted as an Ultimate Defense. However, Errol was forced to move around rather than stay in the same spot like he was used to. For the first time in his life, Errol found himself having to break out some of his much stronger techniques just to stay ahead, something he hadn't expected to do against a team of Genin._

_Even still, despite acting as one combined force, Squad 7 was unable to actually gain an edge against Errol's Iron Sand, which as acting as both defense and offense at the same time. As they thought of another strategy, neither Sasuke nor Sakura noticed anything out of the ordinary right away._

_"Damn it. We're still not getting anywhere." Sasuke said in frustration as he watched Errol float above the ground on a cloud of Iron Sand, more of it floated around him, poised and ready._

_"Tell me about it. It's almost as if we're fighting against Gaara all over again." Sakura panted._

_"If that's the case, we're gonna need to use more speed. That was the main weak point of the Ultimate Defense. If we can move fast enough, he won't have time to defend or evade. Naruto, we need you to get close enough and mark him with the jutsu formula for that Teleportation Jutsu you always use. If you can distract him with your speed, Sakura and I might be able to land a hit. Think you can do it?...Naruto?"_

_After receiving no answer, both Sasuke and Sakura turned to see that Naruto hadn't even heard them. In addition to looking awfully pale, Naruto was sweating profusely and he appeared to be having trouble breathing._

_"Naruto-kun? Are you feeling okay?" Sakura asked, her voice laced with concern._

_"Not...really." Naruto struggled out as he pulled down his face mask. "It...It's...so hot...out...here."_

_Holding a hand to his stomach, Naruto dry heaved for a couple of seconds before vomiting on the grass, effectively coughing up everything he'd eaten that morning. Even after completely emptying the contents of his stomach, Naruto continued to dry heave as he had done all that month. In an instant, Sasuke was at Naruto's side, gently rubbing the blonde's back as he gagged. Even Errol was making his way over after sensing that something was seriously wrong._

_Suddenly, Naruto stopped dry heaving and he became unresponsive. In fact, he stopped moving all together and promptly fell over as though his body weighed a ton. Instantly, Sasuke went into all out panic mode, which only worsened when he realized Naruto had stopped breathing._

_"Naruto?...Oh God, please no! Naruto!" Sasuke hollered as he dropped down to his knees beside the unconscious blonde._

_Sasuke shook him, he firmly slapped him, he did anything he could to wake the blonde up. However, he received no response._

* * *

Upon realizing that Naruto needed immediate medical attention, Errol instructed Sasuke to transport Naruto to the hospital immediately. The training session had officially been canceled. So now, here Sasuke was, carrying an unconscious Naruto in his arms and fearing the worst.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Sasuke arrived at Konoha Medical Center and quickly rushed inside. As if this entire episode wasn't bad enough, Sasuke had no way of knowing that things were about to get worse.

_Much _worse.

**Thus concludes this chapter. Please drop a review and let me know what you think. Also, I really apologize for the long wait. I really hate keeping you guys waiting for so long, and I hope you aren't too mad. As a treat for being so patient, a certain someone makes an appearance in the next chapter. Can you guess who?**


	47. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in this story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 47**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**I would really, REALLY like to apologize for keeping you guys waiting. I really wasn't sure how I wanted this chapter to go, and I kept starting over so many times. I hope you guys enjoy it, and I apologize if it's a little boring. Really, I'm sorry you guys. I'm trying to update faster. I'll accept flames for this one too, for having you guys wait so long and for writing a crappy chapter. I really don't like how this one turned out either. Again, really sorry.**

Naruto slowly opened his eyes, flinching as he was blinded by a bright overhead light. He felt light-headed and nauseous, like the room around him was spinning. The bright light wasn't helping either, for it was already starting to give him a pounding headache, contributing to his already sour mood. Very slowly, Naruto sat up, clutching his head and clenching his eyes shut again when they began to hurt from staring at the bright light for too long.

"Ow...Fuck, my head is killing me." Naruto muttered to himself, holding his head in his hands. After massaging his temples for a few seconds to ease his headache, Naruto waited for his eyes to adjust before taking in his surroundings.

Obviously, he was in a room, though a room he did not recognize. The walls were white with a flower design, giving the room a somewhat happy atmosphere. A plasma screen television was posted up on the wall, and to his right was a large window that gave him a nice view of Konoha and the sunset. The sky outside was a mixture of pink and purple, making the view even more breath taking. To his left was a door, slightly ajar, that lead to the bathroom. The bright light came from the florescent lights up on the ceiling.

Looking down at himself, Naruto noted that he was wearing what appeared to be a white gown with the same flower design that was on the walls. The bed he was lying in was on wheels. The top part was slanted upwards to allow him to sit up easier, and the sheets were white and spotless. They smelt fresh, as though they'd just been washed. Why, if he didn't know any better, Naruto would say he was in a...a...

No.

Fucking.

Way.

Unfortunately, looking down at the patient bracelet strapped to his wrist, Naruto knew his worst fear to be true.

"Sasuke! You son of a bitch! How could you?" Naruto hollered out loud, realization finally hitting him that he was in his own version of Hell: a hospital.

"Naruto Uzumaki! You know I don't tolerate that kind of language!" a familiar voice angrily reprimanded from beside his bed.

Jumping almost a mile, Naruto whipped his to the side, revealing the source of the voice to be none other than Iruka Umino, his academy teacher and adoptive father.

"Iruka-sensei? What're you doing here? Better yet, what am **I **doing here?" Naruto asked, confused. '_Damn, I feel so stupid. How did I not notice him there?_'

"Well that's a fine hello. Anyway, from what I heard, you apparently collapsed while you were training with Errol for your mission. Sasuke bought you here, and gave me a call to watch over you while he and the rest of the group went on their mission. They should be back sometime this week." Iruka explained from his chair.

"So, how long have I been out?"

"...Roughly, a full day."

Naruto groaned and collapsed back down on his pillow. This was just perfect. First, he missed out on the mission, and now he was stuck in a fucking **hospital **of all places. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

At that moment, the door to his room burst open to allow Kakashi Hatake and Tsunade Senju herself to enter, the latter not wearing her green robe for once.

"Hello, Naruto. Good to see your awake." Tsunade said as she walked in with a clipboard in hand.

"Oh great." Naruto said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Well that's a fine hello." Kakashi said as he kicked the door closed behind him.

Naruto flashed Iruka an exasperated look that said "Don't even say it." Iruka only smiled and threw his hands up in mock surrender.

"Look, Granny, can't you just clear me so I can leave already? There's really no reason for me to be here. I feel perfectly fine." Naruto protested.

"Firstly, I've told you not to call me that. Secondly, there obviously **is **something wrong with you, seeing as how you passed out on the Training Fields. Quite frankly, I'm disappointed in you. Sasuke said you've been throwing up all month long. That isn't normal, Naruto, and you're lucky to still have your health after letting whatever this illness is last for so long." Tsunade said sternly as she checked Naruto's pulse and blood pressure.

"But it can't be anything serious. A jinchuriki can't fall seriously ill." Naruto argued.

"That isn't the point, Naruto. If there was something wrong **period**, you should've come to get it checked out sooner. You never know what it could be. Now hold still until I'm done." Tsunade replied as she wrote Naruto's information down on her clipboard.

As she continued Naruto's check-up, Tsunade began to become more and more puzzled. So far, Naruto showed no signs of illness at all. His vital signs were normal, and other than a slight drop in his blood pressure, Naruto appeared to be perfectly healthy. Perhaps the blonde was right after all.

All she had to now was check Naruto's chakra flow, and she'd be done. Gently, the busty blonde woman placed her hand against Naruto's forehead as though she were taking his temperature and concentrated as she felt Naruto's chakra flowing through his arteries and veins. Only a few moments into it did she feel something very unusual.

As she felt Naruto's chakra circulate through his system, she felt a more sinister chakra underneath, which belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox. That much, she expected. What she didn't expect, however, was to feel _Sasuke's_ chakra mixed up in there.

Within Naruto's abdomen appeared to be a bundle of his and Sasuke's chakra mixed together. Now the reason why this was so unusual was because this sort of thing only occurred in _pregnant women_. During pregnancy, the chakra of both partners combine within the woman to later on become the chakra for the developing embryo. With that being said, this sort of thing obviously should not have been occurring within Naruto unless...

Tsunade quickly shook her head to dismiss the idea. The idea of Naruto, a _male_, being pregnant was completely preposterous. On the hand, Tsunade did remember reading something about pregnancy among jinchuriki a while ago in her medical research. Supposedly, there was this theory that a male jinchuriki could become actually become pregnant by taking on the female characteristics of their Tailed Beast. The theory had been considered too controversial, and it was discontinued before the experiment was actually done. The theory had been dismissed since then, but now Tsunade was beginning to wonder if they were really onto something.

There was only one way to find out.

"Hmmm...I'll be be back in a moment." Tsunade said with a troubled expression before leaving the room, her heels clicking loudly.

"What's up with her?" Naruto asked.

"Perhaps this really is more serious than you originally thought." Kakashi said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Perfect, now I gotta be here even longer." Naruto muttered as he flipped on the TV and began channel surfing.

For the next 40 minutes, the room was silent as all three guys became engrossed in a football game that Naruto just happened to stop on. So engrossed in their game were they that they nearly jumped a mile in the air when the door burst open again to allow Tsunade to re-enter.

"Sorry that took so long." Tsunade said as she kicked the door closed with her heel.

"What kept you?" Naruto asked impatiently, clicking off the TV with his remote. He was ready to leave already.

"I'll explain everything in a moment, but right now, first-things-first. Naruto, I need you to go into the bathroom and pee on this." Tsunade said as she reached inside her grey, kimono-style blouse and pulled out what appeared to be a plastic stick.

Naruto looked at it and blinked.

"Uh...alright." Naruto said uncertainly, accepting the object from his adoptive grandmother. With a shrug of his shoulders, Naruto hopped out of bed and made his way into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

"Was that what I think it was?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. If it comes out positive, I'll explain everything." Tsunade confirmed.

A minute later, Naruto emerged from the bathroom with the plastic stick in his hand. He handed it to Tsunade, who accepted it in a folded napkin and laid it on the bed as Naruto climbed back under the covers.

Now all they had to do was wait. Fortunately, it didn't take very long. After only two minutes, it was ready. Tsunade walked over, picked it and the folded napkin up, and examined the results. What she saw confirmed her hunch.

In the middle were two pink, vertical lines. Tsunade stared at them until they visually blurred. Even though all the proof she needed was right there in front her, she still had trouble believing it herself.

'_I guess it's official then. Naruto and Sasuke have definitely been busy...'_

Meanwhile, Kakashi, Iruka, and Naruto waited in tense silence. Time itself seemed to suddenly slow down, each passing second feeling like an eternity.

"Well? What is it?" Naruto asked. Now even he was starting to feel a little nervous. '_Please don't let it be cancer!'_

Tsunade let out a deep breath, and gave Naruto an eerie smirk that made the blonde a little uncomfortable.

"Well, Naruto, congratulations. You're pregnant. "

"..."

"..."

"..."

The entire room went dead silent again. Kakashi's eyes looked as though they were gonna pop out of his head, Iruka's jaw nearly hit the floor, and Naruto simply stared at Tsunade like she was on crack.

"..._WHAAAAT!" _Naruto suddenly screamed, causing Kakashi and Iruka to jump at the abrupt outburst.

"Inside voice, Naruto. Don't forget, your in a hospital." Tsunade reprimanded.

"Screw that! How the hell can I be pregnant? I'm a _boy_, damn it!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Despite Naruto's language, I must agree with him Lady Hokage. How is this possible?" Iruka asked.

Tsunade smiled sheepishly, not really sure on where to begin.

"Well...it's simple really, but a lot to explain. You see, this is gonna surprise both you and Kakashi, but the Nine-Tailed Fox isn't entirely...male. In other words, it's a hermophridite. Outwardly, it appears male, but it actually possess both male and female characteristics. When a Tailed Beast is sealed within a human, the vessel inherits these traits. This is the reason why even a male jinchuriki may appear slightly feminine, and why female jinchuriki are known for their beauty. For example, the whisker marks on Naruto's face. They were not present when he was an infant until after the Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed within him."

"Well, that last part I understand, but you're saying that the Nine-Tailed is both male _and _female?" Kakashi asked.

"Precisely. However, not very many people in the world know this, not even the Third Hokage was aware. The only people who know are the jinchuriki themselves and people who have actually been able to get close to a Tailed Beast long enough to actually study it. Anyway, since Tailed Beasts are hermophridites, they possess both sets of reproductive organs. Oddly enough, it's only the male jinchuriki who inherits both sets. Nobody really knows why. Anyway, the ovaries don't become active until the jinchuriki comes of age. Upon reaching a certain age, he will go into heat."

At hearing this bit of information, Kakashi's ears perked up. Instantly, he thought back to the conversation he'd had with Sasuke outside of Ichiraku the day before.

"So, at what age does he go into heat and what exactly happens?" Kakashi asked, his curiosity beginning to peak even more.

"Usually, it starts when the male jinchuriki turns at least 15 or 16. During heat, the anterior pituitary gland begins producing large quantities of LH, or lutenizing hormone. When this happens, ovulation occurs and an egg is released, along with a number of other hormones. All of these other hormones raging about then lead to sudden mood swings and heat flashes. In addition to being more susceptible to the influence of their Tailed Beast, the jinchuriki will also become extremely sensitive to any sensual touch. Even something as simple as a kiss can be enough to set them off."

"However, the most interesting aspect of this whole thing is the production of strange smell. Apparently, it smells of lavender and it's produced by the jinchuriki's sweat glands whenever they go into heat. This aroma apparently has a very profound effect on the jinchuriki's mate. To put it simply, it...makes them horny. _VERY _horny. Once they inhale the fragrance, they become overwhelmed with a powerful urge to mate. It dominates their entire state-of-being, as though being possessed by a separate personality, which is why they remember absolutely nothing afterwards. All of this is to ensure that the released egg gets fertilized, and they'll continue to have sex until the jinchuriki gets pregnant. After the jinchuriki becomes pregnant, the heat cycle ends. Although, it will eventually end on its own after several weeks. The only unexplainable aspect of this aroma is that only the one closest to the jinchuriki can actually smell it. Again, nobody knows why. "

Kakashi nodded his head in understanding as Tsunade finished. It perfectly explained everything that Sasuke had described to him the day before. So he'd been right when he'd said it sounded like Naruto was pregnant, but he never expected that would actually be the case. Even he had to admit, the concept sounded completely crazy. With that being said, he could only imagine how Sasuke was going to react to the news.

"...Lady Hokage, not that I doubt you're knowledge, but how do you know all of this?" Iruka asked. "I've never heard of anything like this!"

"Years ago, back during the regime of the Second Hokage, there was a theory suggesting that a male jinchuriki could become pregnant since he takes both the male and female characteristics of their Tailed Beast. In order to test it, they conducted an experiment on the former jinchuriki of the Five Tails. The experiment was controversial, to say the least. Not only was it inhumane to experiment on another human being, but people also didn't like the idea of "demons having children". So, the experiment was discontinued. All data that had been recorded fell into Konoha's hands where the file has been locked away ever since. Even I had trouble getting a look at it." Tsunade said.

Naruto was completely speechless. All he could do was shake his head in disbelief and run a hand through his golden hair. This couldn't be happening to him. Better yet, it _shouldn't _be happening to him. However, if the the pregnancy test was anything to go by, it was gonna happen no matter how badly he wanted to wish it away. There was an actual person growing inside of him, and he would simply have to deal with it. It was that fact that made him feel even worse. Even though he'd had a demon living on the inside of him since he was a baby, Naruto had never actually felt any different from another person. Now, after learning all of this, he felt such a...like a...freak of nature.

"Fuck my life man. It's all over." Naruto said defeat.

"Calm down, Naruto. Everything is gonna be fine. Besides, we're here to help you if you need anything." Tsunade reassured him.

"That's not the point, Granny! I'm a pregnant _boy _for crying out loud! Sasuke is gonna flip when...Oh damn, Sasuke! How am I going to tell him about this?"

Tsunade walked over and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. The boy was trembling slightly from nervousness and was breathing heavily. It looked as though he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Naruto, try and calm down. Don't think about telling Sasuke right now, he won't be home for two more days anyway. Right now, try and get some sleep and relax." Tsunade said, soothingly rubbing Naruto's back.

Naruto focused on Tsunade's words, and finally began to calm down a little. Slowly, his breathing returned to normal and his stress level began to go down at a steady pace until it finally reached zero.

Tsunade kissed Naruto on the forehead before escorting herself, Kakashi, and Iruka out of the room, turning off the lights and shutting the door behind them.

Naruto plopped back down on his pillow and let out a frustrated sigh as he closed his eyes. Now matter how hard he tried, he couldn't just stay calm. There were just too many thoughts and scenarios running through his head at once. His worst fear was that Sasuke would see him as some kind of abomination against nature, and leave him.

'_No, Sasuke wouldn't do something like that. I know he wouldn't.' _Naruto thought to himself in assurance.

However, as he finally began to doze off, Naruto still couldn't quite shake that feeling of dread, like anything and everything could go wrong. Despite what he would have to face, Naruto finally drifted off to into a restless sleep.

* * *

Two unknown figures silently made their way through the morning mist that smothered the forest. All around them was quiet, as if the very forest itself was holding its breath in fear of the ominous presence these two figures exuded. They had been traveling for quite a while now, and under normal circumstances, they would've already long reached their destination. However, due to word taking a while to reach them and a number of mandatory side jobs, they were quite behind.

At first glance, it was easy to conclude that these were a couple of Rogue Ninja, one standing at 5'9", the other at 6'5". One was from Konohagakure, their target destination. The other was a former shinobi of Kirigakure, The Village Hidden in the Mist. Their attire consisted of a long, dark cloak with red clouds, a red interior, and a chin-high collar. They both wore a conical straw hat with ornamental torques and tassles hanging down to conceal their faces. They wore purple nail polish on their fingers and toes, and a single ring: the shorter one on his right ring finger, the taller one on his left ring finger. The only contrast between the two was that the taller figure carried a large, wrapped up sword on his back.

Despite their casual stride, these two were not simply out for a stroll. They were on a mission to retrieve a certain person, someone that would help further the goals of the Akatsuki, the organization they worked for. If all went as well, the target would be dead in the next 72 hours. It was nothing personal or anything, just their job.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the village, the taller one was about to proceed when his partner placed a hand against his chest, stopping him. The shorter one then went through a sequence of strange hand seals, and appeared to place his hand against thin air. Before the taller one could inquire about his partner was doing, the air in front of them shimmered for a split second.

'_I see. The village is surrounded by a security barrier.' _the taller figure realized as he and his partner continued forward.

After the shorter one used Genjutsu to knock out the Leaf shinobi on guard duty, the pair then effortlessly walked up the protective wall surrounding Konoha, now standing on the edge of the railing and looking down at the village below as it began to wake up.

"How about that, Itachi? Not only did the village survive, it looks almost good as new. Even I didn't expect them bounce back this quickly." the taller one said.

"Don't forget, Kisame, they did have assistance from the Fuma Clan." the shorter one, Itachi, added.

"Oh yeah. I forgot those wandering nomads had decided to settle here."

A moment of silence passed between them as they watched the people below go about their daily lives...

"Hey, Itachi, mind if I ask you something?" Kisame asked, breaking the silence.

"What is it?"

"Well, about this brat we're supposed to be looking for, I hear he's quite powerful. Rumor has it, he's the one who took down the Marauder Syndicate single-handedly."

"So the story goes." Itachi replied in his calm voice. "What exactly is it you're asking?"

"I hear this kid is supposed to have the same kekkei genkai as Leader, the Rinnegan, or whatever it's called. With that being said, since kekkei genkai are passed down genetically, doesn't that mean that this kid is related to Leader somehow?

Itachi thought for a moment as he pondered the question. It did sort of make sense, in a way. The Rinnegan is one of the rarest kekkei genkai in the world, and the only person in the world who had it, as far as Itachi knew, was Leader. Therefore, it could be possible that the target and Leader were from the same clan. However, a dojutsu could be transferred via an eye transplant, meaning there could be no relation at all. Though, that couldn't be the case. This kid they were after was the ONLY other known person to have the Rinnegan other then Leader. So the Rinnegan the target possesed had to be genuine. In the highly likely event that was the case, then Leader might have a living relative after all.

"Perhaps there is some kind of relation between the two. However, I don't see how that matters now. If the stories about him really are true, then this may prove to be our most difficult assignment yet. We'll let Leader decide what to do after we capture him."

Kisame, catching the slight tone in Itachi's voice, gave his partner a toothy grin and looked over at him through the tassels of his straw hat.

"You sound almost nervous there, Itachi. Don't tell me you're beginning to have second thoughts." Kisame said with a slight taunt.

"...No." Itachi replied calmly, slightly lifting his hat with his thumb so that his Sharingan eyes could be seen. "...None."

* * *

The morning sun rose over the horizon, bathing the Land of Fire in it's morning light. As it shone, the village of Konoha began to wake up from its slumber. Throughout town, shops began to open up for the usual business and the common people began their everyday trek to work. For most people, it was a morning the same as any other. For Naruto Uzumaki, however, it was far from normal.

Despite the bright morning light outside, it was dark in his apartment as the blinds were closed. Though if the darkness didn't bother you, the quietness of the place would. It was so quiet, in fact, that you could hear a pin drop from all the way in the kitchen. The only sounds that could be heard was the ticking of the clock on the wall, and the faint sounds of the townspeople outside.

Naruto himself sat on his couch, his head in his hands and his hair not in its usual long, shaggy ponytail. He'd been discharged from the hospital only 2 days ago, and he'd been stressed out ever since. In fact, he'd been sitting with his head in hands _all day_. Literally, the guy hadn't so much as even moved after coming home the day before.

Basically, he was depressed, and didn't know what to do. The thought of having to tell Sasuke was making things even worse. The Uchiha would be coming home sometime that day, and Naruto was kind of dreading it and ecstatic at the same time. He was happy that Sasuke was coming home, and that he was finally going to get to see him. However, he was dreading it for fear of what was to come.

Even worse, Naruto still didn't how or when he was going to actually tell Sasuke about the pregnancy. No matter what he thought of, he still couldn't shake the thought of Sasuke leaving him, not wanting the baby, or worse, _both_. Damn these pregnancy hormones... Simply thinking about all this had Naruto bringing a hand to is belly. He wasn't showing yet, but he would soon.

As he sat on the couch rubbing his belly, Naruto could hear the Nine-Tailed Fox chuckling in his head. Closing his eyes, Naruto entered into his own subconscious. A second later, he was standing in front of the cage that housed the gigantic Nine-Tailed Fox. The Kyuubi itself was laying down, returning the glare that was being its way.

**'_Is that glare supposed to frighten me, boy?_**

_'Shut the hell up! This all your fault, you stupid fox! You've ruined everything me and Sasuke worked to build!'_

**_'I've ruined everything? Hahahahaha! You really are stupid, aren't you? How can this be my fault when I actually did try to warn you?'_**

_'What the hell are you talking about? You didn't tell me shit!'_

**_'I didn't, huh? Then allow me to take you back a couple of chapters. Remember that "important" thing I tried to warn you about earlier that day? I was trying to tell you about the your first heat, and what was to come. If you had of actually listened to me, for once, you wouldn't be in this situation. However, you found that white-haired man's story to be more amusing, did you not?'_**

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but then stopped himself as the memory replayed in his mind. It was the day he was leaving with Jiraiya to find Tsunade in Tanzaku Town. He distinctly remembered arguing with the Kyuubi about something while trying to listen to Pervy Sage's story at the same time. Now he understood what the Fox had been trying to tell him. As the memory replayed over and over in his head like a broken record, Naruto clenched his fists and teeth.

He really, REALLY hated to admit it, but the Nine Tailed Fox was right.

**_'Ah. You remember now, don't you Naruto. It's just as I said that day: don't say I didn't try to warn you. Everything that happens to you from here on out is your own fault! I can feel the anger building up inside you, boy. You're angry, but you can't do shit about it! Hurts, doesn't it? Humans can be so very stupid. The stupidity of your kind is one of the very few things in this world that can make me laugh.'_**

Naruto hung his head as he grit his teeth, seething with so much rage he was seeing red. He wanted to curse the Kyuubi, say every insult and hurtful name that was on his mind at the moment. However, he knew that no matter what he said or did, it would fix nothing. He'd still be wrong. Basically, Naruto couldn't be pissed at the Kyuubi without being pissed at himself for not listening in the first place. That feeling of helplessness only made Naruto even madder. There was really nothing he could do or say!

Naruto glared back up at the Kyuubi, the demonic kitsune giving him an evil grin. The Kyuubi's words had poured salt into an open wound, and it _loved _every minute of Naruto's misery. Knowing that he was beaten, Naruto decided it was time to go. Besides, all of his rage and negative emotions were only making the Kyuubi stronger. Just as Naruto prepared himself to leave, there was a knock at the door, snapping him back to reality.

As the knocking continued, Naruto's heart jumped. At first, he thought it might've been Sasuke. However, he realized a second later that Sasuke had a house key and didn't need to knock. Grateful for the interruption, Naruto got up (for the first time in hours), went into the kitchen, and answered the door.

It was Jiraiya.

"Hey there, kid." Jiraiya said cheerfully.

"...Hey, Pervy Sage." Naruto said after a slight delay.

Jiraiya grimaced as he took in his godson's appearance. For starters, Naruto looked as though he'd just woken up, his clothes were horribly wrinkled, his hair looked greasy and slightly disheveled, and his skin had lost some its pigmentation. The first thing that actually caught Jiraiya's attention were Naruto's eyes. Usually, the blonde's eyes were full of life; they always appeared to be smiling. Now, however, they appeared dull, or dead. All of these details gave Naruto the appearance of a zombie. Even Jiraiya almost didn't recognize him.

"Uh...mind if I come in?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto didn't answer verbally. Instead, he walked away from the door and went back into the living room to sit on the couch, allowing Jiraiya to let himself in. It took Jiraiya a moment for his eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness of Naruto's apartment, having been out in the sunlight. After taking off his shoes at the door, Jiraiya walked into the living and joined Naruto on the couch. A moment of silence passed...

"Normally, I'd ask what was wrong, but Tsunade already filled me in." Jiraiya said, breaking the silence. "So, are you really...?"

"Yeah, I'm pregnant. I took another pregnancy thing before I left the hospital. It came back positive, just like the first one."

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head.

"Does Sasuke know yet?"

"No. I'm not ready to tell him yet. Rather, I don't know how. I'm afraid that if I tell him, he won't want it or he'll leave. I'm so scared and nervous, I don't know what to do. Why does something like this have to happen to me? I feel like such a freak!" Naruto exclaimed as the tears began to flow.

"Try and calm down, kiddo. You're not a freak." Jiraiya said as he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Listen, Sasuke loves you. He may not always show it, but he does. Nothing can ever question that. Besides, you really don't know how Sasuke is gonna react, so don't stress yourself out trying to assume. It's not good for you, or the baby."

"But..." Naruto let himself trail off.

"Look, don't try and think about this right now. When you feel the moment is right, tell him when you're ready. You're really not in the right state of mind to be thinking about this right now anyway. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Naruto nodded and wiped his eyes. Unknown to Naruto, Jiraiya was just as freaked out. It wasn't everyday you learn that your god_son _is pregnant, let alone learning that he's able to_ become_ pregnant. However, he had to take it all in stride and be the adult, for Naruto's sake.

"Tell you what, how would you like to come with me on a little trip? You know, just to get away and take your mind off things. Try and think of it as a little vacation. How about it?"

Naruto thought about it for a moment. It would be good to get away from the village for a while. Plus, there was really nothing to do and it was much better than sitting at home waiting in suspense for Sasuke to come through the door. Vacation would definitely do him some good.

"Alright, I guess." Naruto said as he got up and went to his room to go pack.

As Jiraiya watched Naruto leave the room, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. He hated seeing the vibrant Naruto so stressed out like this. The kid was only 16 years old. At that age, life was just beginning. He shouldn't have to be worrying about this sort of thing, at least not yet. Either way, it was happening, and it was the least Jiraiya could do to try and make things just a little bit easier.

A moment later, Naruto emerged back into his living room wearing his usual navy blue Konoha Ninja Uniform and flak jacket with a ring of bandages around the middle of both sleeves. His hair was fixed in its usual spiky ponytail.

"Alright, let's go." Naruto said as he pulled up his face mask to cover up the lower part of his face.

The pair began to walk to the door when they heard the sound of a key turning in a lock, causing them both to freeze as though they'd been caught red-handed. Naruto's entire body went rigid as he watched none other than Sasuke step through the doorway.

***Whew* Finally got this chapter finished. Please leave a review and stay tuned. Also, Itachi was the certain someone who was supposed to show up. He and Kisame will show up in the next chapter too. Hope everyone enjoyed that.**


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in this story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 48**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Just wanted to say I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter as much as you did. I honestly wasn't expecting that to happen. Anyway, I also wanted to point out that the Nine Tailed Fox actually broke the 4th Wall in that chapter, like when he says _'Let me take you back a few chapters...' _In other words, it's somehow aware that it's a character in a story and it referenced that fact. Isn't that neat? Also, Madara Uchiha is already dead in this story. He's become one of my favorite characters, but he can't be in this story. So he's already long dead. Okay, on with the story.**

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief as he, Sakura, and Errol walked through the gates of Konoha. After being gone for nearly half a week, all three had never been so happy to be back home in their lives. Their bodies ached and their clothes were covered with a combination of dirt and dried blood. Fortunately though, all their hard work was about to pay off. It had better, or else Errol was gonna make sure somebody payed up.

The mission really hadn't been all that difficult, just took a lot of work. For starters, Squad 7 ended having to work with the person they least expected to work with in a million years: Gaara of the Desert. Although the Sand jinchuriki had assured them that he'd learned to have better control over his Tailed Beast, it didn't make the partnership any easier. No one could forget how the boy had tried to kill them after going into a psychotic rage. They'd taken his word for it, but they'd still kept their distance.

As if an uneasy partnership with Gaara didn't hinder things already, they then ended up having to fight off a Sunagakure hit squad that had come after Gaara before they could even fight the bandits they had been hired to kill! Either way, the hit squad was quickly taken care of and the bandits were taken down the next day. As had already been decided, Errol took on the leader. Much to Errol's delight, the guy proved to be more of a challenge then he'd expected, which made killing the fucker and cutting off his head feel very satisfying.

After a long trek back home, Squad 7 finally arrived back in Konoha, the severed head tucked safely in a paper bag. Once back in the village, they passed the severed head onto the Interrogation Corps. and received their pay in return. After that, they each went their separate ways.

While Errol and Sakura went home, Sasuke went straight to the hospital. Throughout the entire mission, Sasuke stayed worried sick about a certain blonde-haired jinchuriki. Sure, Sasuke would stay focused long enough to deal with the matter at hand, but his mind would instantly drift back to Naruto during rests stops. Now, after finally arriving back home, Sasuke wasn't about to waste anytime. Four days away from Naruto had been torture for him, and now it was time to breathe a sigh of relief...at least, that's what he was hoping for.

'_Please be alright, Naruto.' _Sasuke thought as the hospital came into view. He'd never been this concerned for someone else, not since his clan was murdered when he was a child.

Surprisingly, despite his dirty appearance, Sasuke hardly attracted any attention as he entered the busy lobby. However, the woman at the front desk had to do a double take as Sasuke walked up, both from his dirty clothes and his handsomeness. Something about that combination turned her on a little, so she became a little oblivious when Sasuke began talking. The Uchiha ended up having to snap his fingers in front of her to wake her up.

"Hey! I asked you a question." Sasuke said with an edge in his voice. He really wasn't in the mood to be fawned over right now, and this woman was already starting to push it.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What were you saying again?" the young girl apologized, blushing.

"_Naruto Uzumaki_. I dropped him off here two days ago, and I'm here to see him." Sasuke said again, saying his lover's name with an emphasis to make sure the girl got it this time.

"Right. Let's see, Naruto Uzumaki...can you spell his last name please?" she asked.

Sasuke's eye twitched slightly. He really wanted to punch the bitch and find Naruto's room himself, but he spelled Naruto's last name for her anyway.

The front desk girl typed Naruto's name into the hospital database, and waited for the search to find said patient. For Sasuke, it felt like he'd been standing there for a full hour when the woman finally turned up something.

"Here we go, Naruto Uzumaki. Hair: Blonde, Eye Color: Blue, Height: 5'5", Weight: 50.9 kg, and Classification: Jinchuriki. Is that correct?" the girl asked.

"Yes." Sasuke replied. "What's his room number?"

"Hmmm...says here he was discharged yesterday morning."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? Are you sure?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes. It says he was discharged yesterday at 9:00 am." the woman confirmed. She even turned the computer so Sasuke could see for himself.

Sure enough, there it was. Just as the woman had said, the hospital database showed Naruto's arrival date and the day he was officially cleared. At seeing this, Sasuke felt beside himself.

'_So he's already left? Why didn't he call me?' _Sasuke asked himself. "He must already be at home then. Thank you anyway."

"Your welcome." the woman said as Sasuke turned and left, ignoring that dreamy look that appeared in the girl's eyes again.

As Sasuke walked through town towards his home, a million thoughts raced through his head. However, the main question: _Why the fuck didn't Naruto call him when got discharged? _Naruto had a cell phone, so why not use it? It would've greatly put Sasuke at ease. At first, he thought this was Naruto's idea of getting revenge for dumping him off at the hospital. However, he quickly dismissed the idea when he realized Naruto could think of something much more creative than something like this. Finally, Sasuke said fuck it. The only way to find out would be to confront Naruto himself. Sasuke could only hope the blonde was home...

Reaching his apartment, Sasuke pulled out his house key and unlocked the front door. Right before he walked in, he did a quick check and was relieved beyond words when he felt Naruto's and another familiar chakra signature. Without another second of hesitation, Sasuke stepped in.

As he closed the door behind him and repocketed his house key, Sasuke expected Naruto to jump into his arms. Instead, the blonde just stood there in the doorway to the living room, staring at Sasuke as though he'd seen a ghost.

Not immediately realizing that something was wrong, Sasuke rushed forward and captured Naruto in a tight hug. He'd never been so happy to see Naruto in his life.

"Naruto, you're alright. I was so worried." Sasuke said as he hugged Naruto close to him, nuzzling his hair and inhaling his scent.

"...Sasuke...I...I'm glad your home." Naruto forced out as he hugged Sasuke back, though barely. It felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. So nervous was he that was beginning to feel a little light headed.

"Why didn't you call me when you got discharged from the hospital?" Sasuke asked as he continued to hold his lover.

Naruto didn't answer. He wanted to, but the words caught in his throat.

When he received no answer, Sasuke pulled Naruto away from him, but he continued to hold the blonde by his shoulders. Naruto appeared troubled, scared even. In fact, now that Sasuke paid close attention, he could feel Naruto trembling slightly. Something had the blonde on end.

"Naruto? You're trembling. What's the matter? Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, instantly worried again. "It really was something serious, wasn't it?"

Naruto still didn't answer at first. Instead, he cast a glance back at Jiraiya. Sasuke looked over at him as well, noticing the big man for the first time standing by the couch. The toad Sannin gave only a single nod.

Naruto swallowed. This was it. This was the perfect time to put it all on the table, and he'd never been so nervous in his life. His heart was going a mile a minute.

"Naruto? Is everything okay? Talk to me." Sasuke said, finally letting the blonde go.

Naruto took a deep breath, and let it out slowly before pulling down his face mask so that he could be heard clearly. "Sasuke...I'm pregnant."

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a confused expression.

"Pregnant? What do you mean by that? You're not making sense." Sasuke said.

"I'm pregnant, as in I'm gonna have a baby. And you're the father." Naruto clarified.

Sasuke stared at him for a minute. The words registered in his head, but coming from Naruto, it still didn't sound right.

"Naruto, you're still not making sense. You're a boy, not a girl. You can't get pregnant."

Naruto nodded his head. "Yes, I can. I'll show you."

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand, and led the Uchiha to the bathroom. As the pair disappeared down the hallway, Jiraiya went to the door and slipped on his shoes before heading out the door to wait outside. Naruto could take care of it from here on his own.

After entering the bathroom, Naruto pulled open one of the drawers and withdrew the extra pregnancy that Tsunade had given him. He'd asked for an extra one for this special occasion, for he knew Sasuke wouldn't believe him if he simply told him. He'd have to _show _the Uchiha as well. Naruto removed the test from the box, pulled out his shaft, and peed on it plain view over the toilet. Naruto wasn't shy about it at all. Sasuke had already seen it before, so it was nothing new. Plus, he wanted Sasuke to see so the Uchiha would know this was no trick. Lucky thing he'd had to go too. He'd planned to just hold it till he and Jiraiya got to where they were going.

When he was done, Naruto laid it on the counter...and waited. It was the longest two minutes of both their lives, feeling more like two _hours_. Words couldn't describe the tension and nervousness in the air. After a couple minutes, the test was done and Naruto stepped to the side so that Sasuke could get a look at it.

Like the two previous times before, the test came back positive. Sasuke stared at the two pink vertical lines until they blurred his vision, not believing it even though the proof was right there in front of him staring him in the face. He just stood there for the longest time, staring at it, with so many questions going through his head.

"Sasuke...please say something." Naruto said, or rather pleaded. The silence was REALLY bothering him. Even if Sasuke yelled, it was better than saying nothing at all.

"...How is this possible?" Sasuke asked, that one question had been the biggest one on his mind by a long shot.

After inhaling and exhaling deeply, Naruto told Sasuke everything Tsunade had told him back at the hospital. He told Sasuke about having both sets of reproductive organs due to the Nine-Tailed Fox, going into heat, the symptoms of heat, and even about the experiment conducted on the former jinchuriki of the Five Tails to explain how he knew about all of this. He went slowly and left out no details, laying it all on the table.

As Sasuke listened, he just kept shaking his head. It was all completely insane. Yet, it explained everything that had been going on: the weird smell, the black out episodes, the vomiting, the mood swings, and everything else weird that had been going on. Plus, there was the pregnancy test itself, which was undeniable proof as he'd seen it with his own eyes. He had no choice but to accept everything Naruto was saying, no matter how crazy it sounded.

"So long story short, when I went into heat, I released an egg and you fertilized it the last time we had sex." Naruto finished.

Sasuke was silent again for a moment...

"...How far along are you?" Sasuke finally asked.

"Only a month." Naruto replied.

Sasuke considered not asking the next question. He knew it was stupid, but for some reason, he asked anyway.

"...Is it really mine?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"How could you even ask me that? Of course you're the father! You're the only person ever I've laid with, Sasuke. I don't sleep around like some whore! Naruto replied angrily, raising his voice a little and giving Sasuke a one-handed shove. How could Sasuke even _think_ about asking him something like that?

Sasuke leaned back up against the doorway, and exhaled deeply. He should've been happy that Naruto was pregnant. After all, it did occur to him that he could rebuild his clan now, he didn't have to give up that goal. However, this was _WAY_ too soon. Hell, he hadn't even killed Itachi yet. That priority would have to come first, above all else. He wasn't ready to be a father, not yet. It just wasn't time. Problem was, how could he tell Naruto that?

"...Are you gonna keep it?" Sasuke asked, dreading the answer.

"I'd like to. Abortion is out of the question, I'm telling you that now. I don't believe in that. You and I made it together, and I'd like to raise it." Naruto replied.

They were silent for another minute. Tentatively, Naruto reached out and grasped Sasuke's hand.

"Sasuke, I understand this is a lot to take in at once. Please, think about it. I really want us to keep it. Just...don't leave me, please. Don't leave me all alone." Naruto said.

Sasuke pulled Naruto into another hug. There was no way he was going to leave Naruto, especially not right now. Naruto was dead set on keeping the baby, but Sasuke wasn't so keen on the idea. He wasn't sure he was ready to handle that kind of responsibility at this age. But even still, he was staying here.

"I'm not leaving you, Naruto. I could never." Sasuke reassured him. "Just give me sometime to think about this, okay? This is a really big decision."

"Alright. I'm leaving with Pervy Sage on a little trip to Shukuba Town. It's not far from here. If you need me, please call me." Naruto said before giving Sasuke a kiss.

"Are you sure it's safe to be traveling?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Even though I'm pregnant, I can still fight just fine. The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra is around it, just like it protects me when I transform. Granny Tsunade said it was three times harder for a jinchuriki to miscarriage than a normal person. Plus, I'll have Pervy Sage with me, and I doubt anyone will wanna provoke a Sannin. Please, think about the baby while I'm gone, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded. "I will."

Naruto kissed him again before pulling up his face mask, and leaving the bathroom. He stopped by his room to grab his backpack before heading out the door to meet Jiraiya, locking the door behind him.

After Naruto had left, Sasuke stayed leaning against the bathroom door. He was still having trouble accepting the idea of Naruto being able to become pregnant. He didn't know whether to be happy or distraught. Honestly, he felt a little of both at that moment. His parents had only left him enough money to get by, which was not nearly enough to support a baby. There were just so many ways this could go wrong. His worst fear was Itachi coming back. News of Konoha's jinchuriki becoming pregnant was sure to spread. Itachi would get wind eventually. This whole thing was just putting Naruto in danger. Basically, right now really wasn't the best time for this sort of thing.

After taking a shower and changing into a clean set of clothes, Sasuke walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. The quietness of the apartment made it easier for him to think. He was considered a genius, so surely he'd be able to come up with something...

* * *

Jiraiya looked over at Naruto as they continued down the path that led to Shukuba Town. They had been traveling for an hour now, and the blonde hadn't said so much as a word. This was the first time Jiraiya had ever seen his godson be this quiet. It almost freaked him out little to be honest. The whole time, Naruto appeared dazed, as though he were lost in thought. A frown of concentration marred his features.

"You feeling okay, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked

"...Huh?" Naruto replied, Jiraiya's question finally registering in his brain.

"I asked if you were alright. You've never been this quiet before."

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just..." Naruto let himself trail off.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what was on Naruto's mind. This whole vacation was supposed to give the blonde a peace of mind, but obviously, that wasn't going to happen. Not by a long shot.

"Still worried about Sasuke, huh? You're gonna have give the guy some time to think about it, Naruto. This is a big, life changing decision for the both of you to make." Jiraiya said.

"I know. I just hope he feels the same way I do. This baby could be the thing that brings us closer, and I really hope he understands that. It doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, even if we are a bit young. I know he'll accept it if he really thinks about it." Naruto replied, bringing a hand to his belly.

Jiraiya let out a sigh. He had a real bad feeling about this. "For your sake, I hope you're right."

Naruto was about to comment when he felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. Taking it out, he read the caller ID and saw that it was Sakura. He answered it with a smile.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. What's up?"

"_Naruto-kun! Is it true? Are you really pregnant?_".

"...How did you find out?"

"_Lady Tsunade told me everything! I didn't really believe her at first, but I do now! You're really pregnant with Sasuke's baby! It's unbelievable!_"

"Who else knows?"

"_Just me...and Ino. She was with me when Lady Tsunade explained everything. She's ri-_"

Naruto heard talking on the other end.

"_Ino says hello. Anyway, Lady Tsunade told me to watch out for you. She said it was for the worst case scenario, or something. She wouldn't tell me what she meant by that though. Do you know?_"

'..._So Granny Tsunade has considered **that **possibility too, huh?' _"...I have know idea either."

"_So Are you gonna keep it?_"

"I want to, at least."

"_Sasuke doesn't?_"

"...He needed time to think about it. Right now, I'm with Pervy Sage on the way to Shukuba Town. I'll let you know when I arrive back in back in Konoha."

"_Alright. Well, take care. This is so exciting! I wonder what it's gonna look like?_"

"We'll just to have wait and see I guess. Bye, Sakura-chan."

"_Ciao._"

The line went dead as Sakura clicked off. Naruto put his cellphone back in his pocket, and continued down the path with Jiraiya. For the remainder of the way, the two continued on in silence. As they walked, neither Naruto nor Jiraiya had any idea they were being watched from up on a nearby cliff.

* * *

Itachi and Kisame watched as Naruto and Jiraiya continued down the path to where ever it was they were going. After spending almost a full hour searching in Konohagakure, they'd been correct in concluding that their target wasn't in the village. On their way out, they'd ended up getting in a scuffle with some of Konoha's top shinobi in the outskirts in the village. Fortunately though, they'd easily been able to fight their way out without attracting too much attention.

After that minor setback, they'd managed to track their target's trail. The good news: they'd been able to find him. However, the bad news: he was traveling with one of the legendary Sannin. This put yet another setback on their mission, as now they had to find some way to separate the Sannin from the target.

"I'm pretty certain you could go toe-to-toe with him, Itachi. Although, I'm not entirely sure _I_ could. He's on a whole other level." Kisame said.

"Agreed. If we faced each other, both of us would be killed, a rather unappealing outcome. Something tells me that even if there were more of us for this, the result would still be the same." Itachi replied.

"I never thought I'd have to go up against one of the legendary Sannin. If we were to fight him, then both the Uchiha Clan and the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist would have their names dragged through the mud. Then again, the brat isn't exactly easy pickins either. News of him wiping out the Marauder Syndicate still has the criminal underworld shaking to its foundation. The kid even has Orochimaru nervous. So nervous, in fact, the snake bastard had to issue flee-on-sight orders in case that kid made an appearance. Heh, pretty badass in my book."

"True. But still, even the strongest of opponents always has a weakness..."

Kisame grinned.

"Got anything in mind?"

"...Something for the Sannin, at least."

* * *

Sasuke threw up his hands in frustration. He'd been sitting on the couch for a full hour now, and still hadn't actually been able to make up his mind on what he wanted to do. With everything that he thought of, there was always some kind of repercussion. If he accepted the baby, a confrontation with Itachi would be inevitable. He would most likely kill both Naruto _and _the baby just to hurt Sasuke, because they were close to him. Accepting the baby now would endanger both their lives, and Sasuke still had a lot of training he had to do before he was ready to face his brother.

If he chose to deny the baby, Naruto would probably never forgive him. Worst case scenario: they'd break up and Sasuke would wind up all along again. With Naruto pissed, every moment between them would be awkward, especially for Sasuke. More importantly, Sasuke wasn't just ready to be a father yet, nor did he know _how _to be one.

All of it was kind of ironic. This was what Sasuke had always wanted: the chance to rebuild his clan. However, the chance presented itself at the worst possible time: too early in life.

So now Sasuke was stuck at a crossroads, and neither path was exactly as easy as the other. Obviously, he wasn't going to be able to figure this out on his own. Fortunately though, there was at least one person he could talk to. Reaching into his pocket, Sasuke pulled out his cellphone and dialed Kakashi's number. However, he only received the silver-haired Jonin's voicemail instead. Sasuke tried several more times, but still only got the same result as the first each time.

Sasuke frowned at this. It wasn't like Kakashi not to answer his phone, especially if Sasuke called. Even though he'd never admit it, Sasuke had come to think of Kakashi as a kind of father figure, and the Uchiha felt he could talk to the man about anything. So for Kakashi not answer, something had to be up. At that exact moment, Sasuke began to have a really bad feeling in his gut, a feeling he knew wasn't gas. It was a feeling that usually meant something was wrong, and that feeling had never failed him yet.

A few minutes later had Sasuke standing outside the apartment Kakashi and Iruka shared. He knocked only once, which was all it took for the door to swing wide open.

Now he definitely knew something was wrong.

Without wasting another second, Sasuke raced up the stairs and burst into Kakashi's bedroom.

"Kakashi...?" Sasuke trailed off before he finished speaking.

Three pairs of eyes instantly turned to look at him, all of them belonging to Kurenai, Asuma, and Might Guy. Kakashi himself was lying unconscious in bed, and he looked pretty banged up.

"What are all of you doing here? And what happened to Kakashi?" Sasuke asked.

Neither Kurenai, Asuma, nor Guy said a word. They didn't know where to begin, nor did they even understand it themselves, even though they had been there when the attack happened.

"I asked you all a question! What the hell is going on here?" Sasuke angrily asked again. He wasn't in the mood for games.

"Uhhh...he had a bad accident on a mission." Guy lied, thinking quickly.

He, Asuma, and Kurenai had silently agreed to keep knowledge of the attack a secret from Sasuke for his own safety. His older brother, Itachi, had been the who'd attacked Kakashi. If Sasuke found out, he would more than likely go after the elder Uchiha, and wind up getting himself killed. Itachi was a dangerous, S-Ranked criminal responsible for wiping out his own family in one night. Despite Sasuke's strength, the younger Uchiha wouldn't stand a chance.

No sooner had Guy gotten finished speaking when a Special Jonin wearing sunglasses, whom Sasuke knew as Aoba Yamashiro, burst through the door. Apparently, he'd ran the whole way to Kakashi's apartment as he was panting heavily.

"Hey! Is it true that Itachi has returned, and he's here to capture Naruto?" Aoba asked breathlessly.

It was then when he noticed Sasuke standing in the middle of the room. "Oh...uhhh...oops."

Guy slapped a hand to his face.

"Idiot." Kurenai muttered.

Sasuke's eyes widened in both disbelief and horror. Simply hearing that his murderous older brother had returned was bad enough as it was. But hearing that he was after Naruto made Sasuke's blood suddenly run cold. This was _exactly _what he had always feared would happen if he let anyone get close to him, and why having a baby right now was a bad idea. But not even Sasuke had expected for everything to go wrong this soon. There was still time though. There was still a chance he could save Naruto and the baby before it was too late if he could only reach Naruto fast enough.

With adrenaline now coursing through his veins, Sasuke bolted from the room and began racing through town toward the village gates, ignoring Guy's pleas for him to come back. As the village gates came into view Sasuke hurriedly pulled out his cell phone. Fortunately, he had Naruto's number on speed dial as it would've been impossible for him to dial the blonde's number as frantic as he was.

Finally, after half a dozen rings, Naruto picked up.

"_Hello?_"

"Naruto! Listen to me, you're in grave danger! Itachi has come back, and h-"

"_What? Hello?_"

"I said Itachi is after you, Naruto! Stay close to Jiraiya and don't mo-"

"_Sasuke, is that you? I can't hear you very well. You're breaking up._"

Cussing in frustration, Sasuke hung up his phone and continued running full speed. In an instant, things had gone from bad to worse. First the unexpected pregnancy, and now this. Itachi couldn't have picked a better time to reveal himself. For Sasuke, everything was really coming down on his shoulders. Images of that dream about Itachi killing Naruto flashed through his mind, moving him to run even faster than before. He wasn't going to let that nightmare become a reality.

He already knew where Naruto was, that outpost village called Shukuba Town. All Sasuke could do was hope that Naruto was somewhere safe. He wasn't going to lose the blonde like he'd lost his clan. Simply thinking about Itachi putting his filthy, bloodstained hands on Naruto made Sasuke's blood boil with anger. Itachi was the reason for all the suffering in Sasuke's life. He'd killed their parents, killed their entire clan, ruined Sasuke's childhood, attacked Sasuke's teacher, and was now going after the one person in the world Sasuke cared about the most, as well as his unborn child. All of it just to cause Sasuke pain.

It was a race against time, and the clock was ticking fast. With speed even he didn't know he possessed, Sasuke raced down the path toward Shukuba Town, thoughts of that fateful night flashing through his mind.

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please drop a review. It would be very much appreciated.**


	49. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 49**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Before you guys bite my head off for having you wait for so long, please know that my LAPTOP WAS BEING REPAIRED. The motherboard crashed again, but luckily they were able to boot everything back up and none of my data was lost. Unfortunately it took longer than I thought it would, and my laptop is the only computer I have access to. I deeply, DEEPLY apologize for having you guys wait for so long and I feel absolutely terrible. Also, this chapter is not only shorter than the others, but also a little dull. I couldn't really think of anything else to add because I want everything else to happen in the next chapter and the fight with Itachi would just be the same as in the anime, and I wasn't typing all of that. So I left it like it was. Personally, I really don't like this chapter either, but it's your opinion that matters. So please read on and leave a review. Again, really sorry about the wait.**

Upon entering through the gates of Shukuba Town, Naruto found himself instantly blown away by all the sights that greeted him. When Jiraiya had told him that Shukuba Town was lively and busy, he'd hit the nail right on the head. The entire town was basically one big market center. All around him were restaurants, bars, brothels, people trading their goods, shop keepers advertising their wares, street vendors, games, street performers, and basically everything else under the sun.

What really threw Naruto off, though, were the throngs of people. Never before in the blonde's life had he ever seen so many people congregated in one area. To say it was easy to get lost would've been an understatement, and had it not been for Jiraiya's white hair distinguishing him from the crowd, Naruto would've lost sight of the perverted toad sage. All the smells, sights, and sounds drew Naruto's attention every which way, leaving him with a sense of culture shock. He wanted to dive into a little of everything, but he didn't know where to begin.

"Holy shit! This place is amazing!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"See? I told you you'd love this place! Let's get to our hotel first, then I'll really show you all this place has to offer!" Jiraiya replied joyfully, swing his arms around his godson's shoulders while sporting a huge grin.

Despite the large number of people, cutting through the crowd was relatively easy. The actual hard part was deciding what hotel they should stay at. In just the area they were in, there were at least ten different hotels to stay at, and each one had their own perks associated with them. Nonetheless, it didn't make choosing one any easier. It took roughly fifteen minutes for Naruto and Jiraiya to checkout each one until they finally came to one they agreed on, called the _Knights_.

As the pair entered into the lobby, Naruto quickly found himself captivated by the hotel's really cool-looking water fountain in the shape of a waterfall, leaving Jiraiya to check them in on his own. Reaching out a hand, Naruto was just about to dip his finger into the running water when he felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. Taking it out, his heart jumped at seeing that it was Sasuke.

"Hello?" Naruto answered.

"_Naruto! (static) to me (static, static) danger! (static) come (static), and h-"_

"What? Hello?"

"_I said (static static)! Stay (static static static), mo-"_

Sasuke, is that you? I can't hear you. You're breaking up."

Naruto heard Sasuke exclaim the word "fuck" on the other end before the line went dead. Furrowing his brow in confusion, Naruto hung up his phone and slipped it back into his pocket just as Jiraiya came up to him with their room key.

"We're all set, kiddo. Now lets go put our stuff in our room so we can get going. There's so much I wanna show you here!" Jiraiya said excitedly.

"Hey, Pervy Sage, Sasuke just tried to call, but the line was staticky. I think something might be wrong." Naruto replied with a worried expression.

"Huh? Like what?"

"I don't know exactly, but I have this feeling that something bad is gonna happen s-"

Naruto stopped himself when he realized that Jiraiya wasn't listening. His perverted, old godfather had a slight blush to his cheeks, his eyes were in the shape of pink hearts, and his tongue was practically hanging out of his mouth. Following Jiraiya's gaze, Naruto saw instantly why the toad Sannin was practically drooling all over himself.

Standing just outside the glass entrance doors was woman more beautiful than words could describe. She had long, flowing black hair that complimented her slightly pale skin perfectly. She had beautiful brown eyes that appeared to be laughing, and she wore a nice shade of blue on her finger and toenails. Her attire consisted of a blue dress that showed off her full figure, a pair of black open-toed heels that showed off her toes, and there was a diamond earring in each ear.

She appeared to be texting when she felt herself being watched. Looking up, she saw Jiraiya and Naruto staring at her and flashed both a gorgeous smile that showed off her pearly white teeth.

Jiraiya let out a wolf whistle.

'_Of course. Every time...' _Naruto thought to himself angrily with a raised fist. Suddenly, he found himself brought out of his thoughts when Jiraiya slapped their room key in the palm of his hand.

"Here's the room key, Naruto. Now be a good boy and go up to our room, unpack, mold some chakra, then go to bed, okay?" Jiraiya said in a rush, not taking his eyes off the beautiful woman for even a second.

"What! Are you trying to say that from here on out it's the world of the adults? What happened to us having a night out in town? Pervy Sage, this isn't fair! You can't just blow me off for that bitch!" Naruto argued, pointing at the woman angrily.

"An apprentice must always follow his sensei's orders, Naruto. Now hurry along." Jiraiya said with a sly grin as he walked towards the woman on the outside, still not taking his eyes off her.

Once outside, Jiraiya chatted with the woman for a few seconds to get to know her before walking off with her down the street, his around her perfectly thin waist. Muttering angrily under his breath, Naruto tucked the room key in his pocket and headed up to their hotel room, feeling totally betrayed.

* * *

Sasuke panted as he finally arrived at the gates leading into Shukuba Town. Even though the trip to Shukuba town was nearly two and half hours away from Konohagakure, Sasuke had run the entire way with no rest stops. With all that adrenaline acting as his fuel source, Sasuke wouldn't have been to sit still anyway.

Taking only a few seconds to quickly catch his breath, Sasuke dived head first into the crowded streets. Immediately, he began looking around for the one he loved, calling Naruto's name and asking anyone his eyes landed on if they'd seen someone matching Naruto's description. However, his search was turning up no luck. It was times like this that made Sasuke wish he knew the _Shadow Clone Jutsu_. He couldn't believe he still hadn't copied it from Naruto yet, despite having seen the blonde use it countless times.

After thoroughly searching the area as best he could and coming up short, Sasuke began checking the surrounding businesses for any sign of Naruto, or least Jiraiya. Still, no luck.

By now, Sasuke was getting even more frantic. His legs were wobbly and his heart simply would not slow down. The only thing racing faster than his heart were his thoughts. Sasuke's mind was thinking of every worst case scenario, anything and everything that could go wrong. Time was of the essence, and every second and minute that passed felt like wasted time. Anything could've happened by now. Naruto was probably laying in a pool of his own blood in some alley, waiting to be found...

'_NO! Stop thinking like that damn it!_' Sasuke angrily reprimanded himself, smacking himself in the head to clear his thoughts. '_He has to be here somewhere! Just please be safe, Naruto. Wherever you are.'_

After having no luck in the crowd or in the shops, Sasuke moved on to search the hotels. He went down the list of them, asking the person at the front desk the same question over and over: _"Has a blonde haired kid traveling around with a white-haired man checked in here?" _Though so far, he was only receiving answers such as:

_"Sorry young man. This hotel is for women only."_

_"Sorry son. This hotel is reserved for seniors only today."_

_"Blonde-haired boy and white-haired man? Sorry, I'm afraid we don't have anyone like that here."_

With each failed search, Sasuke could feel himself going into full blown panic, his eyes nearly teary with worry. But he had to hold himself together. Naruto was in serious danger, and he couldn't afford to fall apart now. All that mattered was that he had to make sure Naruto was safe and in one piece. He wouldn't feel better until he held the blonde in his arms again...

It didn't take long for Sasuke check the other hotels, only to fall short at each one. Frustrated, Sasuke collapsed to his knees and let out a cry of anguish. He felt so totally defeated. He'd asked around, searched in every alleyway, shop, and hotel that he could find, only to fail at every turn. Itachi had surely gotten to Naruto by now.

"Fuck...fuck, fuck, fuck!" Sasuke cried angrily, punching the ground with each word. "...I'm sorry, Naruto. I'm so sorry. How could something like this happen? I was supposed to protect you!"

As Sasuke sat there on his knees on the ground, holding his head in his hands, something told him to look up. He did, only to see that there was a hotel that he'd missed standing right there in front of him_. _In disbelief, Sasuke looked at the sign on the outside of the building and read the name out loud: _The Knights_.

A new surge of hope flared up within Sasuke like a wildfire, causing him to spring back up to his feet and take off like a rocket. Upon bursting through the front door, Sasuke immediately ran up to the front desk and began questioning the reception lady.

"Is there a blonde-haired kid staying at this hotel?" Sasuke asked breathlessly after slamming his hand on the counter to get her attention. "He has blue eyes and he's traveling with a white-haired old man."

"...Blonde haired kid, and an old man...?" the receptionist trailed off in thought.

"Yes. Are they here?"

"...Hmmmm...did I see someone like that when I changed shifts?"

As the woman scratched her chin in thought, Sasuke began to grit his teeth and his eye twitched in mounting anger. His boyfriend was in danger, and this woman was taking her sweetass time. Didn't she realize this was a life or death situation?

"...Ah yes, that's right! Two people fitting that description checked in here earlier!" The receptionist woman finally exclaimed in realization.

"What room?" Sasuke asked hurriedly, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. '_Finally!'_

The woman took a minute to flip through her record book. "Here we go. Their on the second floor, end of the hall, Room 1..."

The receptionist would've continued further, but when she looked up, Sasuke had already run up the stairs. In actuality, he'd left even before the woman had actually begun speaking, for he'd already read the row of information for himself when the woman had pointed to it. Sasuke raced up the stairs all the way to the second floor and bolted down the hallway like a bat out of Hell.

He could only hope he wasn't too late.

* * *

Naruto laid ontop of the covers of his hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling and affectionately rubbing his belly. It had taken him a few minutes to get over his anger of Jiraiya ditching him for some broad, but once he did, his mind wandered to the baby growing within him.

He thought about what Sakura had said on the phone: What would it look like? Would it look more like Sasuke, but have Naruto's personality or vice versa? Would it take up after one parent more than the other? What kekkei genkai would it inherit: the Sharingan or the Rinnegan? All of these questions buzzed around in Naruto's head, questions he didn't have the answers to just yet.

However, there was one question that he probably could answer early: What would its name be? Naruto really hadn't thought of a name yet. That was something he'd planned to talk about with Sasuke, that way they could decide on a name they both liked. As for gender, Naruto was kinda hoping it would come out a girl, but he would be happy with whatever he got.

After giving his belly one last affectionate rub, Naruto went to his backpack and fished around for his Ipod. As he pulled out the device, Naruto jumped at the sound of someone knocking at the door, causing him to drop his music player back in his pack.

"Who could that be?" Naruto asked himself out loud as he put on his sandals and walked to the door. '_Did that woman dump Pervy Sage already?' Wow, this has to be a record.'_

The knocking continued even as Naruto worked to unlock the door.

"I heard you the first time! Give me a chance to open the fucking door, damn it!"

Still muttering angrily under his breath, Naruto pulled open the door. "What the fuck...do...you..."

Naruto trailed off as he slowly gazed up at the figure staring down at him, his mouth hanging open as his anger was replaced by pure shock.

Standing on the other side of the door, looming over Naruto like an ominous shadow, was what appeared to be a more mature looking version of Sasuke. Without even having to think about it, Naruto knew instantly who this was. He recognized him from the picture Sasuke had showed him a little while ago.

Aside from the cloak, nail polish, and ring, the figure's appearance really hadn't changed. As if the unemotional expression, black hair, and slightly darker skin weren't a dead give away, the pronounced creases under the eyes and the Sharingan certainly were. As the realization of this was registered in Naruto's brain, the blonde appeared to be a deer caught in headlights. It was as if his entire body had frozen stiff.

This was the man Sasuke had sworn to kill one day, the one who'd taken everything from him.

"You...you...y-y-you're..." Naruto sputtered, too much in shock to get the words out.

"So, Itachi-san, this little brat is the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, eh? Odd, I imagined him being a little more intimidating." said Kisame Hoshigaki as he came around to stand beside Itachi, his height and strange appearance instantly catching Naruto's attention momentarily.

The combination of blue skin, small, round white eyes, and gill-like facial markings under his eyes gave this new arrival the appearance of a human shark. Even his dull blue hair was spiked up in the shape of a shark's fin. What really drew Naruto's attention was how tall Kisame was. At 6'5", he easily towered over Itachi, making him look even more intimidating.

Despite Kisame's unusual appearance, Naruto's attention shifted back to Itachi. The elder Uchiha had not said a word, or even so much as blinked since Naruto had opened the door. He continued to stare down at Naruto with that intense gaze, causing the blonde vessel to feel uncomfortable even in his own skin. Itachi's close proximity and the deafening silence only made the situation even more creepy.

"...Naruto-kun, step out here for a moment. We need to have a chat." Itachi finally said in his calm, stoic voice, his eyes still unwavering as he maintained eye contact with Naruto.

Surprisingly, Naruto actually obeyed Itachi's command without question and stepped out in the hallway. He honestly hadn't wanted to, but it appeared as though his body had taken on a mind of its own. All the while, Naruto's eyes stayed glued to the Sharingan like a magnet. It didn't take him long to realize he was caught in some kind of hypnotic trance.

"Hmmmm...Itachi-san, it would be a real pain in the ass if this kid decided to make a run for it. Perhaps I should chop off a leg or two, just to make sure?" Kisame suggested as he gripped the handle of the massive wrapped sword on his back, giving Naruto a really threatening look.

Itachi only narrowed his Sharingan eyes. Something was off here, _very_ off. He was getting this weird vibe from Naruto's chakra signature, a vibe that he simply could not ignore.

"Heh, this will only take a second, kid. So hold still, not that you have a choice." Kisame said as he came towards Naruto.

Normally, the blonde would've already sprung unto action by now. However, his body still was not responding, staying rooted to the spot. All he could do was stand there helplessly as Kisame came closer towards him. The Mist Swordsman was only about a foot away from Naruto when...

"Stop, Kisame. There's something I need to confirm." Itachi said suddenly.

"Hm? What is it now?" Kisame asked impatiently. "I was just about to get to the good part."

Itachi ignored Kisame, and instead came to stand in front of Naruto. Itachi then casually reached his hand out, and gently placed his palm flat against Naruto's belly before sending out a harmless burst of chakra. The waves of chakra ricocheted off something and bounced back to Itachi, giving him a clear mental image of what it was that was causing the weird vibe in Naruto's chakra. What he saw shattered the elder Uchiha's emotionless mask, and Itachi showed true surprise for the first time.

'_Shit! There's no way he could've found ot that fast! How did he know?' _Naruto thought to himself frantically, his blood running cold from fear. He knew his legs were trmebling, he could feel them shaking. Never before had Naruto been this scared in his life.

"Huh? Is there something the matter, Itachi?" Kisame asked. In all their nine years of working together, this was the very first time Kisame had ever seen his partner show actual surprise, or any other emotion for that matter. Whatever this was, it had to be something _big_.

Itachi didn't seem to hear Kisame. Instead, he continued to gape at Naruto in surprise before finally uttering "...Pregnant."

"Come again?"

"...He's pregnant, Kisame. It would seem that he's at least a month along." '_This chakra signature...there's no mistaking it...'_

"So I guess this means that theory about male jinchuriki being to get pregnant isn't such a load of bullshit after all. Heh, now I've seen everything. Pregnant or not, the kid still has to come with us. I say let Leader decide what to do and be done with it."

Still unable to move, Naruto could only once again stand there helplessly as Kisame came toward him again. To make matter's worse, Itachi still had his hand on Naruto's belly, which was really starting to make the blonde feel very uncomfortable. However, Naruto's discomfort quickly turned to shock at what happened next: Itachi began to rub his tummy! Despite how completely unexpected the action was, it soothed Naruto, actually putting the blonde completely at ease. Somehow, he knew Itachi wasn't going to hurt him. But what really threw Naruto off was when, for a split second, Itachi cracked a warm smile before quickly replacing his emotionless mask. It was a mere flicker, but Naruto had definitely caught it.

'_So this is Sasuke's older brother. For a psychopath who murdered his own family, this guy doesn't seem threatening at all. But what's up with this guy showing up from out of nowhere and looking for me? And what was up with that smile just now? None of this makes any sense!'_

Suddenly, Itachi's head perked up. Kisame, who had been walking toward Naruto, stopped dead in his tracks. The air in the entire hallway turned cold as ice, and a chill went down Naruto's spine. Even if a trance weren't keeping him in place, the wave of killer intent that washed over him and the two Akatsuki agents kept him frozen to the spot.

Instantly, Naruto felt himself go rigid with fear. At first, Naruto thought he'd spoken too soon about Itachi, for it seemed as though the elder Uchiha's mood had flipped like a light switch. However, after paying closer attention, Naruto realized the intent to kill wasn't coming from Itachi, or even Kisame for that matter. Rather, it was coming from _behind _them. It was at that moment when Naruto realized who it really was.

"It's been a long time..." Itachi said before turning around slowly, "...Sasuke."

**And we'll stop here. Please leave and a review and stay tuned. Again, really sorry about the incredibly long wait, and I know this chapter sounds really cheesy. I hate it too.**


	50. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**Chapter 50**

**(Read Before Continuing)**

**Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed. I honestly didn't expect that reaction, but I'm really glad you guys enjoyed it. Your comments really do mean a lot to me, and they encourage me to keep going even when I sometimes feel like giving up. Any who, another certain someone makes an appearance in this chapter. You'll probably guess who it is right away, but I'll still give you a couple hints: 1.) he's male 2.) he's the only person in the series (besides Jiraiya) with white hair. Can you guess who it is? Also, just to give you guys a heads up, this chapter is gonna be a little lengthy.**

**Theme of this chapter: We Fall Down by Donnie McClurkin. (check it out on youtube sometime)**

A mysterious group of five youths sped through the forest, making not a sound as they leaped from tree branch to tree branch. Though they made no sound, the menacing air they exuded was enough to send the woodland animals scurrying for cover in fear becoming a victim.

They came all the way from Otogakure, The Village Hidden in the Sound, and were currently on a mission to pick up a certain someone for their master. After traveling for several weeks, they could finally see their destination in the distance through the trees: Konohagakure. They could've already completed their mission days ago, however their pack leader had fallen ill with disease, and they'd had to wait for him to recover. Their mission would have to be undercover, as their appearance was sure to attract unwanted attention from the enemy.

Almost all of them wore the same plain brown tunics with the yin-yang symbol on the front, black pants, and a thick purple rope belt tied in a large knot behind their backs. Other than their attire, each of them was vastly different from the other.

"Finally, there it is. What a peaceful little village. I can't really say much for the security though." a young boy said as he sighted Konoha through the trees.

This boy's name was Kidomaru. He had a much darker skin tone than his other teammates, and he wore his black hair in a spiky ponytail. His most unusual feature, however, was that he sported two extra pair of arms, giving him a total of eight appendages on each side (counting his legs).

"Hn, this village needs to be taught a lesson. We could just stroll right on in there and wipe them all out." said another boy with dark bluish-grey hair, which was parted to the side so that only his left eye was visible.

This fellow was named Sakon. He wore turquoise lipstick, brown eyeliner, a beaded dark-red necklace, and seemed to have a second head growing out the top of his spine. The "second head" was actually his identical twin brother, Ukon. Their rare kekkei genkai allowed them to actually fuse into each other's body, allowing Sakon to literally carry his brother around inside him.

"Don't even start, Sakon. Extermination isn't the reason were here." Kidomaru reprimanded.

"That's right. We're here to find Lord Orochimaru's next vessel, not kill anyone." agreed the chubby one.

The heavy-set guy's name was Jirobo. He was by far the biggest member of the group, and had a much deeper voice. He was mostly bald except for a stripe of orange-red hair going along the middle of his head, which he wore like a Mohawk.

"What's wrong, fatass? You scared? What don't you do us all a favor, and go stuff your face like always, ya fat fuck." taunted a girl with red hair.

The girl with the foul mouth was named Tayuya, and she was the only female member of the group. Most of her long, blood-red hair was concealed by a black cap with bandages going around it. Despite the cap, however, a number of strands still dropped down the middle of her face.

"What did you just call me?" Jirobo asked threateningly.

"You heard what the fuck I said, you fatass piece of sh-"

"Shut up, both of you. You argue over such trivial matters. Do not lose sight of our mission. We are here to escort a very special guest for Lord Orochimaru, and I am not about to fail him because you can't get over your insignificant differences." a boy with white hair said as he looked over his shoulder at his teammates.

All four of them shut up instantly, his cold, emotionless gaze striking fear into their hearts.

This boy's name was Kimimaro, the leader of their group known as the Sound Ninja Five. He was the sole survivor of the battle loving Kaguya Clan, and was the strongest member of the group. His attire was slightly different from the others, for it consisted of a light lavender, loose-fitting, long-sleeved, zip-up shirt rather than the brown tunic worn by his other teammates. Recently, Kimimaro had fallen ill due to a mysterious terminal disease. However, thanks to a special medication prepared by Kabuto, he was now back on his feet, even if but for so long.

Kimimaro was characterized by his pale skin, vivid green eyes, two red dots on his forehead, and shoulder-length white hair, which he wore divided down the middle on his head (distinguished by an atypical 'zigzag' hair parting) with two separate partings on either side of his face. He also wore two red, tube-like hair ornaments; one on either side of his head, securing two locks of his silvery-white hair. Lastly was his Curse Mark, the _Curse Seal of Earth_, which was applied at the base of his throat, where it was a circular pattern of three curved lines.

"Sorry, Kimimaro. So what's our game plan? Do all five of us go?" Kidomaru asked, being surprisingly humble.

"That won't be necessary. All of us going in and moving about will be sure to draw attention. Therefore, I alone will be the one to go in." Kimimaro said.

"Don't be stupid, Kimimaro! The target we're after is no push over. It's gonna take all of us combined to bring him in!" Sakon argued.

"I do not care about you're opinion, Sakon. I am doing as Lord Orochimaru has ordered. He specifically requested that I be the one to face him, as I have a greater chance of success."

"And just what the fuck are we supposed to do? Sit around and play with our goddamn thumbs?" Tayuya asked in a nasty, sarcastic tone.

"You are to set up camp at a nearby field. I will confront the vessel and give him the choice of coming back with us to Otogakure. Afterwards, I shall rejoin the rest of you and give him time to think it over." Kimimaro answered, ignoring Tayuya's language.

"What makes you think he'll come of his own free will?" Jirobo asked.

"...He has a vendetta against a certain someone. Lord Orochimaru's promise of power is sure to pique his interest. From what I hear, there is much darkness in his heart. That should help lean the outcome in our favor."

"What if he doesn't come quietly?" Kidomaru asked.

"Then I will have no choice but to bring him back by force. Hopefully, he'll realize Lord Orochimaru's magnificent dream, and it won't have to come to that. Now no further questions. We're wasting time standing here. The rest of you go and set up camp. This will only a take a minute."

The other four group members nodded, and bounded off to a spot somewhere in the forest not far from their location. They were pretty bummed out about not being able to participate, but they weren't about to go against neither Kimimaro nor Lord Orochimaru. They were pissed off, but certainly not stupid.

After his team had left to set up a campsite, Kimimaro bounded off towards Konohagakure. He could feel sudden bursts of chakra spiking up from somewhere in the village, signaling that a fight was happening. The chakra he felt was dark and cold, letting him know that his target wouldn't be very hard to find at all.

'_Hn, fool. He's just made the hard part of my job a lot easier.'_ Kimimaro thought to himself as he made the sequence of hand seals needed to bypass the barrier surrounding Konoha.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kimimaro snuck into the village and bounded off toward the location of his master's next vessel.

* * *

An aggravated Sasuke pulled his arm out of the water tower after having his _Raikiri _deflected at the last second, allowing a stream of water to gush out uncontrollably. Across from him, Naruto was just beginning to get back to his feet after having his knees break most of his fall. The spot where his _Rasengan _had hit had barely left an indention, leaving a thin stream of water to trickle out of the center.

Between them stood Kakashi, shaking his head in disapproval and exasperation. Behind him, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief near the entrance that led back down into the hospital. By now, a number of questions must be going through your head: Why are Sasuke and Naruto fighting? Why is Kakashi disappointed in the both of them? Why was Sakura nearly on the verge of having a panic attack? All will be explained.

It had been eight and half weeks since Sasuke's confrontation with Itachi, eight and a half weeks since he'd been beaten to within an inch of his life. Yes, as much as it pained Sasuke to admit it to himself, he'd gotten his ass whooped that time. There was really no point in sugar coating it. Though it had been his own fault for using such a straightforward attack in the first place.

He'd charged at Itachi with a _Raikiri _so intense, it'd burned some of the skin off his hand. Sasuke's should've known something as straightforward a move as that would never work on someone like Itachi, but his anger had gotten the better of him. He was already pissed as it was simply by seeing Itachi again, but when he saw his brother with his hand on Naruto's stomach, Sasuke had snapped. His attack was easily deflected, however, and Sasuke instead succeeded in a blowing a huge hole in the wall of the hotel, rather than his brother. From there, the fight basically went downhill...

Had Jiraiya not arrived when he did, Itachi more than likely would've beaten Sasuke to death. As it turns out, that beautiful woman Jiraiya and Naruto had met earlier had been put under a Genjutsu to make her fall in love with Jiraiya, thereby separating him from Naruto. Fortunately, Jiraiya had seen through it before it was too late. Getting back on track, Sasuke ended up having to be rushed back to Konoha and to the hospital for a broken wrist, cracked ribs, and several internal injuries. To further add to his humiliation, Naruto had been there to witness all of it...

Fortunately for Sasuke, Tsunade was able to heal most of his injuries herself, so he didn't have to stay in the hospital for more than a week. However, after being discharged from the hospital, Sasuke walked out a changed man. The dark glint in his eyes had become even darker, and he'd gotten a lot quieter. Even when Naruto went to go pick him up from the hospital, Sasuke didn't even react. It was as though his body was a shell without a soul...

The biggest change to Sasuke's personality, however, was that the need in him to become stronger had doubled. Training now became his mindset, and he dedicated almost 100% of his time to such. During most of the previous weeks, Sasuke could be found at the training grounds, pushing himself until he could barely move. Recently, Sasuke had been working on a jutsu that surpassed even the _Raikiri_, called the (*)_Hell Stab_. It was a jutsu he'd stumbled upon while looking through jutsu scrolls at the Konoha Library. It'd caught his eye instantly. So far, he still had a little more ways to go before he fully got the hang of it.

Of course, all this training had a drawback. Since Sasuke spent most of his time training to become stronger, he was spending less time with Naruto. The two hardly spoke, and Sasuke would often zone out when Naruto was talking to him. Dates had become almost non-existent in their relationship. In Sasuke's world, training came first, and romance second. There were even times where Sasuke could camp out at the training grounds, and not even bother to go home. All that mattered to Sasuke now was that he become stronger, no matter the cost or sacrifice. As a result, Sasuke was not there on the day Sakura and Kakashi took Naruto to get his ultrasound, nor was he there to hear his baby's heartbeat for the first time...

* * *

However, Squad 7's curiosity to see what was underneath Kakashi's mask did bring the two closer. Each person worked together in order to enact different plans on getting Kakashi to show them what was underneath his mask. The adventure was fun while it lasted, and Sasuke actually had fun with Naruto for the first time in a long time. Unfortunately, the fun times were not meant to last. Their next mission made sure of that...

* * *

Squad 7's next assignment had them escorting a young lad named Idate Morino as he ran a race for the Wasabi Family in the Land of Tea. The mission was simple enough: make sure Idate got to the finish line in one piece, for the rival Wagarashi Family had hired a group of (*)rogue ninja to make sure he "didn't finish the race". The rogue ninja group consisted of four renegades, three of which Squad 7 ran into shortly after the race began.

The prefect opportunity gave Sasuke the chance he needed to try out his new _Lightning Style: Hell Stab _jutsu. Needless to say, the jutsu exceeded Sasuke's expectations. Not only did it allow him to take them all down with a single hit, it allowed him to break through practically every defense the rogues threw at him and his team. Combined with his _Lightning Style __Armor_, it made Sasuke a force to be reckoned with, but he still wasn't able to use it at full strength just yet.

Unfortunately, using this new jutsu in conjunction with his _Lightning Style Armor _left Sasuke drained. Sadly, Sasuke would not have enough time to recover, for it wasn't too long after when Squad 7 ran into the renegade group leader, Aoi Rokusho, a Jonin from Amegakure. This guy proved to be a serious pain in the ass, as his sword, _Sword of the Thunder God, _essentially made him invincible. This time, however, it was Naruto who stole the show.

Naruto's _Wind Style: Rasenshuriken _was the only jutsu capable of breaking through Aoi's defense. Problem was, there was no way of getting close enough to him for a direct hit. That left only one other option: throw it, which is exactly what Naruto did after going _Sage __Mode_. Aoi's body was ripped apart on a molecular level by countless microscopic wind-blades as he was caught in the explosion. As he and Sakura watched in awe, Sasuke felt the jealousy well up in him once more. _Again_, Naruto had overshadowed him. Nonetheless, Squad 7 completed their mission, and Idate successfully completed the race in one piece...

* * *

Due to the injuries he sustained on the mission, Sasuke found himself in the hospital once more. Sasuke hadn't been aware of it at the moment, but the jealousy inside of him had been rising still. His mind wandered back to the previous mission, and how Naruto had been the one to defeat Aoi. Just when Sasuke thought he was finally above Naruto, the blonde went and pulled another trick out of his sleeve: the ability to actually throw the Rasengan. Normally, he wouldn't care about that, for he could already throw the _ Raikiri_. However, it was seeing the _Rasenshuriken _in action that pissed him off, for it practically blew the _Hell Stab _out the water. Where Naruto learned a jutsu like that, Sasuke would never know.

From there, Sasuke's mind went on a roll. He recalled the fight against Rock Lee, and how Lee had chosen Naruto to fight him over himself. Then he recalled the fight in the Forest of Death against that Grass kunoichi, Shiore, and how Naruto had pulled off all of those incredible jutsu. Had Shiore not messed with Naruto's seal mark to knock him unconscious, Naruto would've taken that bitch down on his own.

That, in turn, brought Sasuke to the fight against Gaara. He remembered Naruto's amazing display of power when he'd gone Two-Tails, and then how Naruto had summoned that gigantic statue thing to fight Gaara when he'd fully transformed into Shukaku. All on his own, Naruto had taken down an opponent that not even all three members of their team could handle. Gaara was supposed to have been _his _opponent, yet Naruto ended up being the hero. It was no different from the time Naruto had saved him again in that sparring match against Kakashi just before the final round of the Chunin Exams.

As all these memories circulated through his head, Sasuke was seething with jealousy and rage. No matter what he did, Naruto was always a step ahead of him in strength. Despite being the only survivor of the _Uchiha Clan __Massacre_, Sasuke's reputation paled in comparison to Naruto's. Naruto was known far and wide for possessing the Rinnegan, being the vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox, and destroying the Marauder Syndicate. And now not only Orochimaru, but now the (*)Akatsuki were after him? Since when did Naruto become so dangerous?

This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, not at all. Naruto was the dead-last of his graduating class. Therefore, he should be weaker than Sasuke. In fact, Sasuke _needed _Naruto be to weak. He needed to be the stronger one so that his life could have meaning. He'd feel content knowing that he was still stronger than at least_ someone_. But if he couldn't even surpass his class's dead-last, than he couldn't be as strong as he thought he was. That loss to Itachi showed Sasuke that nothing had changed, even despite all the years that had passed, all the training that he'd done. If anything, he felt _weaker_, like he was taking five steps forward, but then ten steps back.

It all frustrated Sasuke to no end. He was frustrated with himself, Itachi, life in general, and more than anything, Naruto. Sasuke actually found himself resenting the blonde. So when Naruto and Sakura came to see him in the hospital, simply hearing Naruto's cheerful humming caused Sasuke to blow a fuse. Next thing either of them knew, they were having it out ontop of the roof of the hospital. Sasuke knew Naruto was still pregnant, but he hadn't planned on seriously injuring the blonde or anything, just beating him in a little test of strength. Besides which, Naruto himself had said that it was twice as hard to make a jinchuriki miscarry, but Sasuke still aimed away from Naruto's stomach area anyway. It was when they'd charged at each with their own respective jutsu when Kakashi appeared to break them up, thus leading to where they were now...

* * *

"What's gotten into the two of you? That was a bit much for a simple sparring match, don't you think?" Kakashi said as he watched his two students recover. '_This situation is getting worse__. To think Sasuke would actually go so far as to try something like this...'_

As Sasuke observed the damage his _Raikiri _had done as opposed to Naruto's_ Rasengan_, he couldn't hold back the smirk that graced his features. Apparently, his jutsu was stronger than Naruto's in its initial form. Sasuke at least had that advantage over the blonde.

"Were you actually planning to kill him, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked seriously, not liking Sasuke's expression at all. "You really need to watch this sense of superiority you have."

"Chill, Kakashi. I wasn't planning to actually hurt Naruto. I was gonna divert my attack at the last second before you showed up anyway." Sasuke replied arrogantly.

"That's beside the point. A _Raikiri _of that size should never be aimed at a comrade of Konoha, whether you are sparring or not. I was hoping that having a child on the way would make you grow up a little."

"Get off my case! I already told you I wasn't actually gonna hurt the boy. The last thing I want is for him to miscarry!" Sasuke hollered angrily, not liking being treated like a kid.

"Oh really? You seemed dead serious to me." Kakashi retorted.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to say something back, but then stopped himself. There was no point in trying to argue. He couldn't beat Kakashi, and simply standing there was just making him more pissed off. How dare Kakashi belittle him like this? Sasuke really hadn't intended on hurting Naruto. He honestly was going to divert his attack at the last minute...wasn't he? Sasuke found himself unable to answer that question for sure, which made him put pay to Kakashi's words. Giving his sensei another glare, Sasuke backflipped off the roof of the hospital without another word, leaving his team behind.

'_So much for teamwork..._' Kakashi thoughtfully trailed off with a sigh. Looking over to his right, Kakashi saw that Naruto was still kneeled to the ground, obviously hurt emotionally and deep in thought. Being the caring person he was, Kakashi went over to check on his youngest student.

"Naruto, you okay?" Kakashi asked as he extended his hand.

Naruto stared at the offered help for a minute before accepting it and allowing Kakashi to pull him to his feet. At the moment, he was feeling several different things all at once: angry, hurt, and most importantly, confused. He'd never seen Sasuke act the way he had, and oddly, Naruto felt partly responsible. How, he wasn't sure.

"Yeah...I'm fine." Naruto replied, obviously lying.

"Listen, don't blame yourself for any of this. Sasuke...has some issues he has to work out. You didn't do anything wrong, alright?" Kakashi said reassuringly, receiving a solemn nod in response. "Sakura, why don't you and Naruto take a little walk while I go see about Sasuke? Sound good?"

Sakura nodded and waited patiently for Naruto to reach her before escorting the uncharacteristically quiet blonde off the roof of the hospital. Kakashi waited until they had left before acknowledging the other presence behind him.

"How much of that did you see?" Kakashi asked.

"Not much, just the ending. I knew Sasuke was a hothead, but I never imagined he'd be willing to use a jutsu that powerful against a comrade from his own village. Obviously there's bad blood between the two of them, but I can't understand exactly where it comes from." replied Jiraiya as he leaned against the water tower, his arms folded over his chest.

"It's nothing we haven't seen before. After all, other than the dating factor, their relationship isn't really all that different from the one you had with Orochimaru. To Naruto, Sasuke is a rival, a comrade, and lover all in one. It's their rivalry that keeps him going. That's why he won't stand for it when Sasuke tries to belittle him. In fact, he's been dogging Sasuke's footsteps ever since their first days at the Ninja Academy. Sasuke's approval is the only thing that Naruto really cares about. He just wants Sasuke to view him as an equal."

"I take it that's where all the problems begin then?"

"Yes. It's hard for Sasuke to watch Naruto's strength and skills develop at such an astonishing rate. Naruto has come along so fast, poor Sasuke must feel like he's standing still. Even I myself am amazed at Naruto's growth. Naruto has something powerful as his source of strength: love and the desire to protect those precious to him. Sasuke, on the other hand, relies solely on anger and his desire to seek revenge against Itachi. Sasuke cannot acknowledge Naruto's abilities in fear that if he does, he somehow diminishes his own."

"Wow, and here I was thinking Naruto was a piece of work. You've really got your work cut out for with this one."

"Well, it's not really Sasuke's fault. He has both an inferiority and a superiority complex. He is unwilling to acknowledge when someone is stronger than him, but obsesses when he believes that they are."

"Sounds to me like he's going down the same path as Orochimaru. Obviously, Sasuke is power hungry and he'll do anything just to gain even greater power. With that being said, you have to consider the possibility that, if left unchecked, Sasuke might actually seek out Orochimaru just to get stronger."

"That's exactly what worries me. I'd like to think that his relationship with Naruto and having a child on the way would keep him on the right track. However, after what's happened, I can longer be assured by that."

"What would you suggest then?" Jiraiya asked.

"I think I may have a word with him. If neither Naruto nor his unborn child, then perhaps I can influence him. I'll catch ya later."

With a two finger salute, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves. If anybody could talk some sense into Sasuke, it was definitely Kakashi. The silver-haired Jonin was the only person who knew the Uchiha better than even Naruto, which is why Jiraiya entrusted the task to him. Sasuke had a future, and Jiraiya hated to see such potential go down the path of darkness. It reminded him so much of what happened to Orochimaru all those years ago. The last thing Konoha needed was history repeating itself, especially Naruto...

* * *

A disgruntled Sasuke sat in one of the largest trees in a park area not that far from the hospital. He had a lot on his mind, namely the fight he'd just had with Naruto. Sasuke had leaped off the roof of the hospital, feeling a little more confident knowing that his _Raikiri _was stronger than Naruto's initial _Rasengan_. Unfortunately, his sense of superiority had been short lived: the back of Naruto's water tower had been completely blown out. All Sasuke had managed to do was punch a measly hole in his. So, he was now frustrated yet again. Flashbacks to his fight with Itachi weren't exactly helping either...

Worst of all, Sasuke was losing Naruto. It wasn't something that needed to be said, but rather, he could feel it. Sasuke's obsession with revenge was slowly tearing him and Naruto apart, and he had no clue how to stop it. More than anything, Sasuke wanted to apologize to Naruto for his behavior. Problem was, he didn't know how, not after what had just happened. As he sat there upon the branch, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder just how long their dying relationship had. By this point, it was not a matter of _how _things were going to end, but rather _when_.

Suddenly, Sasuke found his thoughts and tranquility interrupted by his only father figure appearing before him a swirl of leaves.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, annoyed.

"I believe you and I need to have a little chat." Kakashi replied in a serious tone.

Sasuke replied with a usual "Hn" and turned his head away. Breathing a sigh of exasperation, Kakashi squatted down so that he could be on eye level with Sasuke. He'd already figured getting through to the Uchiha wasn't going to be easy.

"Listen to me, Sasuke. Let it go. You have to forget about revenge." Kakashi instructed.

"You can't be serious! How can you even say something like that after what happened that night?" Sasuke demanded.

"I'm well aware of what happened, but believe me, I've been in this line of work for a long time now, and I've met a lot guys who feel the same way you do. For those who walk the path of revenge it never ends well, trust me."

"I can't just let it go! My entire family is _dead_, Kakashi. Itachi took something from me that I can never get back! He took away my family; my entire childhood was ruined! How can you expect me to let something like that go? You're just like everybody else! You don't understand what's it's like to lose someone you care about!"

"On the contrary, I do feel your pain. I never even got to meet my mother, for she died in childbirth. I was on my own at age thirteen when my father committed suicide after being shunned by the village due to a failed mission. Then, during the _Third Shinobi World War_, I saw my teammate, Obito, die right in front of me. I know exactly what it's like to lose someone precious, and not be able to do a damn thing about it."

At hearing this, Sasuke was a bit taken aback. He'd known that Kakashi's parents died when he was young, but he'd had no idea it was under those circumstances. Plus, he'd completely forgotten that Kakashi had been a soldier in the _Third Shinobi World War_, so he was bound to have seen friends die on the battlefield. This time Sasuke had no room to argue.

"You'll only tear yourself apart. Even if you do succeed, and you get your revenge, what will you have then? Nothing but emptiness." Kakashi continued.

"But still, even if you do know how it feels, I can't simply let Itachi get away with it. I can't rest until I see him die!" Sasuke argued again.

"Is it worth losing Naruto?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped himself. Suddenly no longer angry, Sasuke looked away again in shame. That had been the question he'd been trying to avoid. Rather than answer Kakashi verbally, Sasuke looked down at his feet instead.

"Look, neither of us has led a very charming, happy life. Even still, we're not that bad off. At least you and I have been lucky enough to find new comrades to help fill the void. Naruto truly loves you, Sasuke. He admires you. He cares more about you than he does his own life. He's more than willing to help you if you'll only let him in. Realize what you have, Sasuke. Revenge always comes at a cost. Even if you do succeed, you will lose more than just your soul. Only love can conquer hate. If nothing else, at least remember that much."

With those words, Kakashi departed faster than he'd arrived, leaving Sasuke to let everything sink in. Sasuke sat there upon the tree for hours, contemplating over whether or not pursuing revenge was really worth losing everything he'd gained thus far. Eventually, night fell, and Sasuke was still sitting there.

In the end, as he thought back to all the good times he'd had with Naruto, Sasuke decided that maybe it wasn't worth it after all. Naruto had been the one to save him from his loneliness. He was the only person whom Sasuke could relate to since both of them grew up without biological parents. It was the highlight of his day to wake up each morning beside the blonde, and give him a kiss good morning. Naruto complimented his flaws in every way, and Sasuke was lucky to have him.

Then there was the matter of his unborn child. Sasuke had always told himself that he'd have a better relationship with his own kids than the one he'd had with his own father. Maybe being a father wouldn't be so bad. To give all of that up for revenge would be giving up on his child before it even had a chance, which was the worst possible thing he could do. The cons of seeking revenge were simply too great to be ignored.

With his mind made up, Sasuke finally got up from his perch. Just as he was about to jump down and head home, an unfamiliar chakra signature made itself known. Just by the feel it, Sasuke could tell that it was definitely foe. He narrowed his eyes.

"Okay, who are you? Out with it!" Sasuke demanded. "I'm in no mood for games at the moment."

Without a moment's hesitation, Sasuke's assailant appeared before him in a puff of smoke. Going by his appearance, Sasuke could tell this guy definitely wasn't from around Konoha, as if the purple rope-belt wasn't a dead giveaway.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sasuke Uchiha. My name is Kimimaro Kaguya of the _Sound Ninja Five_. I come on behalf of Lord Orochimaru." the boy said, identified as Kimimaro.

"I don't really give a fuck who you are. And as far as Orochimaru goes, tell him to shove it up his ass. I'm not interested." Sasuke shot back.

Narrowing his vivid green eyes, Kimimaro unzipped his lavender shirt and shrugged it off just enough so that his left shoulder could be free. What happened next was something that could only be described as unnatural. A single bone protruded from Kimimaro's shoulder, which he then pulled out, revealing it be a hilt-less bone sword. A sickening cracking sound could be heard as a new bone grew underneath the skin to replace the old one. Kimimaro then pointed his new weapon at Sasuke.

"When referring to Lord Orochimaru, it would be in your best interest to refrain from using such vulgar language. And I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter."

Sasuke activated his Sharingan as the _Raikiri _sparked to life in his hand.

"Kid, you just barked up the wrong tree!"

* * *

Elsewhere in the village, Kakashi sat with Iruka at their kitchen table as Kakashi discussed Sasuke's recent behavior over hot cups of tea. As Kakashi explained what had almost happened on the hospital rooftop, Iruka became visibly appalled. Naruto and Sasuke had been two of his most cherished students back at the academy, and even when they'd got into fist fights, their quarrels had never been this serious. However, Iruka was more surprised at Sasuke's behavior than Naruto's. It just wasn't like the Uchiha.

"If I hadn't of shown up when I did, neither of them would probably be here right now." Kakashi finished before pulling down is face mask to take a sip of his tea.

"This just doesn't make any sense. Those two seemed like a match made in Heaven. How could things have deteriorated between them like this?" Iruka said in disbelief.

"It appears Sasuke's issues have finally come to head. I'd been hoping that his relationship with Naruto would help him to forget about all this revenge business, but I guess that was just wishful thinking. I had a talk with him earlier on today, so I can only hope what I said hit home." Kakashi replied, pulling his mask back up.

"It's not like Sasuke to just lose his cool like that though. I remember he was always so calm and quiet. The only time he ever spoke during class was to answer a question. To think he'd get so frustrated that he'd actually try to harm Naruto is unfathomable, especially under the present circumstances. Speaking of which, has Sasuke made up his mind about the baby yet?"

"Not that I know of. I did bring it up, however, and gave him time to think about it. Hopefully, if nothing else gets in the way, he'll value the life of his child over revenge. Then again, even I can't say exactly what Sasuke will do. That boy can be as unpredictable as Naruto at times."

Iruka nodded his head in understanding. Sasuke wasn't exactly the easiest person to figure out. Unless you really, _REALLY _knew Sasuke Uchiha, it'd be impossible for you to tell what was going on in the kid's head. The boy was such an enigma.

"I just hope he comes to the right decision soon. I can't even begin to comprehend what it would do to Naruto if the worst happened." Iruka said as he gazed at the short hallway that lead to the guest room where Naruto was.

Said blonde was currently sitting on the guest bed, hugging his knees to his chest and focusing on the sky-blue nail polish on his toes as he really had nothing else to look at. The only sound in the room was the steady _tick-tock _coming from the clock on the wall. Normally, Naruto hated this kind of environment: quiet and alone. However, this time he didn't mind it. The quietness made it easier for him to think. That is to say, think about how everything had suddenly gone wrong.

Not knowing about the inner turmoil that was going on within Sasuke, Naruto blamed himself for what was happening. He'd obviously done something wrong, something that had set Sasuke off. Problem was, he didn't know what exactly. All he knew was that he and Sasuke had once been happy, now it seemed as if they were going back to being bitter enemies. After racking his brain thinking of any possible thing he may have done to make Sasuke turn on him, Naruto finally came to only one solution. Everything had been just fine up until...

...until he got pregnant. '_That's gotta be it.' _Naruto thought to himself.

None of this started happening until after Naruto revealed his pregnancy to Sasuke. It had now become obvious to him that Sasuke didn't want the baby, and it was now tearing them apart. This realization led to Naruto crying silently to himself. This wasn't what he wanted. This wasn't how he'd imagined everything would work out. It was all wrong! More than anything, he just wanted everything to go back to normal; he wanted Sasuke to love him again. To hell with being a jinchuriki. To hell with going into heat. To hell with the Nine-Tailed Fox. To hell with all of it! All he wanted was his Sasuke back.

In Naruto's eyes, the only way that could happen is if he were to have the Nine-Tailed Fox...abort the pregnancy. The demonic kitsune would've been more than happy, as it hated being pregnant by an Uchiha as it was. But could Naruto really do it? Could he really bring himself to end an unborn child's life just to make everything right?

Naruto cursed silently to himself and buried his face in his arms as he began to cry a little harder.

* * *

Sasuke dropped down to one knee as he panted in exhaustion, covered in small scratches and bruises here and there. Kimimaro stood bare-chested in front of him with a look of disdain, his lavender zip- up shirt now hanging by his waist after being fully unzipped. His Curse Mark slowly retracted until it was back to its original form of three curved lines on his chest.

'_This guy is unbelievable. I know I got a few solid hits on him, but then why does he look unscathed.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he struggled to stand. Even with his anger giving him speed and power, Sasuke still hadn't been a match for Kimimaro. Somehow, the strange youth had been able to read his movements like a book, using that weird bone sword to parry most of his attacks.

The attacks that did hit should've been strong enough to shatter the guy's bone on impact. Yet oddly enough, Sasuke had barely done any damage to the kid. It was almost as if he was indestructible or something. Being ever determined, Sasuke had kept fighting anyway, eventually taking the battle to the rooftop of one of the hospital buildings. Unfortunately, it was in vain. Kimimaro's Taijutsu far outclassed Sasuke's, being combined with equally impressive speed, agility, and dexterity, and the Uchiha found himself easily beaten. Not even his Curse Mark had been enough to give him an edge, for Kimimaro also had a Curse Mark of his own.

"Don't even bother getting up. All your going to do is embarrass yourself even more." Kimimaro said as he zipped his lavender-colored shirt back up and tucked his bone sword away.

Sasuke gritted his teeth in frustration. He was too tired to even try and shut the guy up.

"Then again, you did spend the majority of your life in this dump of a village. So I suppose it's no wonder why you turned out be so mediocre. If you continue to play "_Ninja_" with your little friends here, you'll continue to rot on the vine." Kimimaro continued.

Using his frustration as his cane, Sasuke got to his feet and dashed at Kimimaro again. Unfortunately, the end result was a knee being driven into his stomach and him being kicked up against a pillar.

"You're acting like a fool. Didn't I tell you you'd only embarrass yourself?" Kimimaro said.

"Shut up! What's your purpose in even being here? To kill me?" Sasuke asked as he held his ribs.

"No, I'm not here to kill you. Had you of given me time to explain, you would've already known this. I am here to act as your escort to my master, Lord Orochimaru. Rather than fight me, you should come with me, for he offers you power." Kimimaro replied.

At hearing this, Sasuke's ears perked up. "What?" he asked.

"Despite my previous words, Lord Orochimaru said there'd be no point in taking you by force. _YOU _have to decide: are you in or out? Before you answer, think about this: wouldn't you like to finally learn how to control the Curse Mark? Just by looking at you, I can tell you don't even have full control of the 1st State. Someone such as you should not use the Curse Mark so recklessly. If you have it active for too long, it will eventually eat away at your soul. Once it spreads through your body, your former self will be gone, never again to return. Lord Orochimaru will show how to use it to its fullest potential, even to the point of mastering the 2nd State. After all, yours is supposed to be even stronger than mine."

Kimimaro held in a smirk as he watched the Curse Mark recede back into Sasuke's neck. Already, he could see the gears in the boy's head begin to turn at the promise of power. This was going to be easier than he'd thought.

"Of course, with this power comes a drawback. You will be forever tethered to Lord Orochimaru. All semblance of freedom will be lost to you. To gain one thing, another must be left behind. Tell me, Sasuke Uchiha, what is your purpose in this life?" Kimimaro asked.

Sasuke didn't respond.

"That question was not rhetorical. I'd like to hear your answer." Kimimaro clarified.

"...My purpose is...to kill Itachi Uchiha." Sasuke said after a moment, a dazed expression on his face.

"And how do you plan to accomplish that? By staying in this backwater village hiding with your friends? There is nothing for you to gain here. Surely, you realize this. You mustn't lose sight of your purpose, Sasuke Uchiha. Life in this village is little more than bondage for you. Sever your ties to this pathetic place, and you will become strong. Only through Lord Orochimaru can you gain limitless power and crush those who stand against you, including your brother."

Sasuke cast his glance downwards as he let all of this sink in. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for his whole life: the opportunity to gain the power he'd craved ever since the night his clan was massacred. But to get it, he'd have to leave Konohagakure, the village he'd called home and sacrificed life and limb to protect. More importantly, he'd have to leave his friends...and Naruto. The chance to gain power was being offered to him on a silver platter, but could he accept it? Could he really leave his previous life behind and seek Orochimaru, the same man who'd killed the 3rd Hokage and tried to grind the village into dust?

As though reading Sasuke's thoughts, Kimimaro spoke again...

"You do not have to decide right now. You have one week to come to a decision, so take your time and think about it. I will be waiting in a field just outside of Konoha Forest. Come find me when you decide. As I leave, remember these words: do not forget your purpose."

With that, Kimimaro turned and bounded off toward Konoha Forest, leaving Sasuke to contemplate his choice.

* * *

An hour later found Sasuke back at the apartment, sitting on the couch as he again went over every aspect of his two options. Neither one was exactly easy for him to decide, but he knew he had to make a choice. It could only be either one or the other. It really didn't matter which he chose, as both would affect the outcome of the rest of his life.

On one hand, Sasuke could choose to remain a shinobi for Konoha and raise a family with Naruto. However, in doing so, he would forever remain in Naruto's shadow. His growth would be slowed, and if Itachi came around again, he wouldn't be able to defend himself or Naruto...or the baby. Speaking of which, Sasuke still knew nothing about being a father. He'd still have to consider the fact that he'd be going into this completely blind and his biggest fear was being a worse father than his own had been.

On the other hand, he could leave Konoha and seek Orochimaru for power. In doing so, he'd not only gain complete control over the Curse Mark, but also have all the power he needed to kill Itachi plus more. No one would be a match for him and he'd finally be able to fulfill his secondary goal of rebuilding the Uchiha Clan. However, to seek Orochimaru would also mean betraying Konoha. He'd be forever labeled a Rogue Ninja, never again to return to his old life.

This was the moment. He had to choose, but which one?

"Shit!" Sasuke said as he slammed a fist down on the kitchen table. Even though he had a week to think about this, Sasuke would rather get it over with now. He knew he was going to lose sleep over it if he put it off otherwise. "What do I do? Which one am I supposed to choose?"

"Is it not obvious to you?" said a familiar voice, a voice he had not heard since he was a child.

Picking his head up, Sasuke's eyes widened momentarily from surprise before reverting back to normal size again. Sitting down on the edge of the table looking down at him with his trademark frown was none other than his own father, Fugaku Uchiha. The late leader of the Uchiha Clan wore a standard flak jacket, along with a black shirt with the Konoha Military Police Force symbol on the shoulders, shin-guards and a black apron with white diamonds on the bottom.

"Father? I thought you were dead." Sasuke said, treating the situation as though it were completely normal.

"And I thought you were alive, son. I can't get over how big you've gotten. Last time I saw you, you were a mere child just beginning in the Ninja Academy." Fugaku replied with an impassive face.

"And last time I saw you was in your coffin at your funeral. What exactly are you doing here? "

"Normally, the dead are not allowed to interact with the living after crossing to the other side. However, I have been given special permission to be here. I am only here to influence you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and looked down at the kitchen table.

"How could you even think about leaving behind the one you love, not to mention your own child? I raised you better than that."

"You hardly raised me at all! You were too busy focusing all of your time on Itachi!" Sasuke shot back. "And whether or not I leave is _my _decision, so butt out!"

"Sasuke! Remember whom you are talking to. I may no longer be of this world, but I am still your father! I loved both you and Itachi equally, and I apologize if I made you feel inferior. I spent most of my time with Itachi because he was to lead the Uchiha Clan after me. I had to prepare him to be a leader. After him, I was to train you next. It was not favoritism nor anything of the sort. I was doing my duty as Clan Head and putting the future well being of the Uchiha first."

A bit taken aback, Sasuke backed down a little. He'd never thought of it that way.

"As for your decision, I believe I do have a say in the matter, seeing as how it involves both your future and my grandchild's."

"If not through Orochimaru, then how do you suggest I become stronger? Itachi took you and mother away from me, father. I cannot allow him to live for doing something like that. Seeking Orochimaru may be the only way for me to gain the strength I need to bring him down. As long as I remain here, I'll never go anywhere. I know that can I never return to this life, but there is no other way. I realize what my decision is now. I have to fulfill my role in life as an avenger, and Orochimaru is the only I can meet that goal."

Fugaku closed his eyes and merely shook his head in disappointment.

"How can you be so blind, Sasuke? Everything you need to grow stronger is right in front you. You are simply to blind to see it." Fugaku said.

"What're you talking about?" Sasuke asked.

"Think about it: What is that makes Naruto so strong? You may think it's the Rinnegan or the Nine-Tailed Fox, but you have to see past that. Think back to all those times Naruto has displayed his power. Have you not noticed that each and every single time, he was fighting to protect those important to him, namely you and the pink haired girl? That desire to protect his loved ones is what brings forth his strength. You, on the other hand, fight only for yourself and revenge. Until you learn how to show true compassion and fight to protect someone, you will never grow stronger. You will forever remain as you are now: angry and bitter."

"That concept is no good. If that were the case, I would've beaten Itachi back at the hotel at that outpost village."

"We're you really fighting to save Naruto, or were you merely trying to kill Itachi?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it after taking a second to really think about it. _Was _he trying to protect Naruto? All this time, he'd been under the impression that he was. However, after really giving it more thought, Sasuke realized that his father had a very good point. He now realized that he'd acted more on his own impulses at seeing Itachi again, rather than actually trying to save Naruto. The only thing that had been on his mind was '_Kill Itachi_' not '_Protect Naruto._' At a loss for words yet again, Sasuke looked away and went back to focusing on a single spot on the table.

"As I said before, everything you need to grow stronger has been right in front of you this entire time. You were merely to blind to notice. As long as you carry all that hate within your heart, you will never be happy in life. That boy loves you, Sasuke. Only until you truly understand that will you get stronger."

"...How can you say that for sure? How do you know that staying here is the right thing for me to do?" Sasuke asked.

"Because I've seen what the rest of your life will be like." Fugaku replied with an actual genuine smile.

At hearing this, Sasuke looked up at his father with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"I am not allowed to give you any specific details, but you will grow into a fine young man and an excellent father. I understand if you're scared or unsure about going into this, with you being so young and all. If it makes you feel any better, I felt the same thing when your mother was pregnant with Itachi. You're never really prepared to be a father until you actually become one." Fugaku explained.

"But...I've messed everything up. I don't even know where Naruto is right now." Sasuke replied solemnly.

"Naruto is currently at Iruka's house. If you hurry, there is still a chance to fix your mistake. I cannot stop if you still choose to leave the village, for as you said, that is your decision to make. However, on the counter behind you are two photographs that may just change your mind. Feel free to take a look at them."

With a look of confusion, Sasuke turned and sure enough saw two pictures laying on the kitchen counter by the sink. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sasuke got up and went over to examine them. What he saw almost brought tears to his eyes.

They were Naruto's ultrasounds. There, in black and white, was his unborn baby. In his quest to get stronger, Sasuke had completely forgotten that Naruto had been scheduled to get an ultrasound to make sure the baby was doing okay. It was a moment in time he could never get back. Sasuke turned back to his father, feeling ashamed.

"Now do you fully realize all that you have to lose? An ultrasound is not the only thing you will miss out on. It still isn't too late if you wish to make things right. All you have to do is follow your heart, son."

Fugaku stood up, walked forward, and placed his hand reassuringly on Sasuke's shoulder. "No amount of revenge is worth your soul, Sasuke. Those who follow the path of vengeance only wind up with nothing in the end. Let Naruto and your child be your motivation to become strong, not revenge. Only by letting go of all that anger will you be able to fly."

With those words, Fugaku vanished before Sasuke could even finish blinking. For a minute longer, Sasuke stood there, still holding Naruto's ultrasounds in his hand and focusing on his father's word: _It isn't too late to make things right again. No amount of revenge is worth your soul, Sasuke. Let Naruto and your child be your motivation to become strong._ However, there was one thing in particular that stuck with him the most: _That boy loves you, Sasuke_.

It was the same thing Kakashi had said. Naruto loved him more than life itself, and Sasuke was breaking his heart. If Sasuke could've kicked his own ass a thousand times, he would have. He'd been pushing away the one person who needed him the most, the one person he could share the rest of his life with. If the boy was pregnant, then so be it. Sasuke put it in there, and it was something he'd face with Naruto together. Fuck adoption. Sasuke didn't want someone else raising _his _kid.

After tucking the ultrasounds away and locking the door behind him, Sasuke took off into the night. It was late, but with any luck, Iruka and Kakashi were still awake. Even if they weren't, he could apologize later. All that mattered now was that he speak to Naruto. Sasuke had screwed up and he was going to fix it before the night was over.

* * *

Almost another full hour later, Sasuke stood panting outside of the apartment that Kakashi and Iruka shared. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath a little, Sasuke quickly pounded on the door. After receiving no response, Sasuke pounded a little more. He continued to pound on the door until Kakashi finally answered, though he almost hit the Jonin in the face from knocking so rapidly.

"Ah, Sasuke. I was hoping you'd drop by. Come in." Kakashi said as he stepped aside, allowing Sasuke entry. "If you're here to speak to Naruto, he's in the guest room. Good luck getting in. Iruka and I have tried everything other than breaking the door down. Also, Iruka's asleep so try not to be too loud. I'm surprised your knocking didn't wake him up quite frankly. Anyway, good luck."

Sasuke nodded as he slipped off his sandals and headed toward the guestroom. Sasuke waited until he heard Kakashi re-enter the bedroom and close the door before knocking softly on the door of the guestroom.

"I'm not hungry, Iruka-sensei. Just leave me alone." said a voice on the other side.

"Naruto, it's me, Sasuke. Could you please open the door?" Sasuke asked softly.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the door. At first, Sasuke thought Naruto was ignoring him. As Sasuke prepared to knock again, Naruto finally opened the door, wearing a solid black shirt and khaki shorts. His blonde hair was still in the usual shaggy ponytail and his eyes were slightly red and puffy, proof that he'd been crying.

"Naruto, can I speak to you please? It's important." Sasuke said. '_He's been crying and it's all my fault..._'

Naruto nodded and allowed Sasuke entry before shutting the door closed behind him. The two turned to face each other and just sort of stood there, not really sure how to begin. Then, at the exact same time...

"I've got something to tell you."

"Uh...you first." Sasuke said.

"Alright. I guess I'll get right to it then." Naruto said. He took a deep breath... "...I'm gonna have the Nine-Tailed Fox abort the baby."

"What!" Sasuke exclaimed, then reprimanded himself for the loud outburst.

"Sasuke, I just want things to go back to the way they were. I mean, we're only kids ourselves. We're not ready to be parents. Adoption would only make everything awkward, knowing that a part of us is out there somewhere. None of this fighting started happening until I got pregnant, and I don't wanna force anything on you. So I feel it would just be best if I have it aborted, and we can pretend it never happened. I understand that you don't want the baby, so like I said, I won't force it on you. If it'll make you love me again, I'll get rid of it." Naruto said.

"No, don't do that!" Sasuke exclaimed, this time in a loud whisper.

"But why? It's what you wanted. That's the whole reason you've been acting so resentful lately, isn't it?"

"What? No. Naruto...you haven't done anything wrong."

"Then why do you hate me all of a sudden? If not the pregnancy, then please tell me what I did wrong. I promise, whatever it was, I won't do it again."

"You didn't do anything, Naruto. I acted that way because..." Sasuke tried to say it, but the words got stuck in throat. Normally, Sasuke would give in to pride, but this was something he had to come clean about. Otherwise, things would never go back to normal. So, taking a deep breath, Sasuke brushed aside his normal instinct and swallowed his pride.

"Because?" Naruto pressed.

"...Because I was jealous." Sasuke finally forced out.

"Jealous? Of what?"

"...You."

At hearing this, Naruto was thrown completely off guard. Sasuke was known as the only survivor of the _Uchiha Clan Massacre_, he possessed the famed Sharingan, women still continued to fawn over him, he'd graduated at the top of his class, and he has his own fan club. Why in the world would _The _Sasuke Uchiha be jealous of him? If anything, it should've been the other way around.

"But why would you be jealous of me of all people?" Naruto asked. "There's not much to really be jealous of, if anything at all."

"It's because..." Sasuke took anotherdeep breath, much deeper than the last. "...because you were stronger than me."

"What? Sasuke, I'm not stronger than you. If anything, you're stronger than me. You graduated at top of our class. I was the dead last."

"But not by choice. You hid your real strength so the villagers wouldn't see you as even more of a threat. If it hadn't of been for that, you would've been the #1 Rookie, not me. When I saw you fight that female Grass ninja back the Forest of Death, I was completely blown away. I couldn't do all of those jutsu you pulled off, and I still can't. With the Rinnegan, the Nine-Tailed Fox, and that Sage Mode stuff, you completely surpass me in power. Then you were able to fend off Gaara all by yourself. Gaara should've been _my _opponent, but you were the one who saved the day. At every turn, I was second to you and I hated it. No matter what I did, you were always a step ahead."

Naruto was silent as he let all of this sink in. He'd never would've guessed Sasuke felt this way.

"Well I'm sorry. I never meant to make you feel inferior. If that's the way you felt, why didn't you just tell me?" Naruto asked.

"I didn't know how. Emotions aren't exactly my strong point." Sasuke answered.

Tentatively, Sasuke reached out a hand and placed it on Naruto's belly.

"Don't take away our child's chance at life because of me. I'm sorry for all the emotional strain I've put through recently. You need me especially right now, and I've been thinking only of myself. I don't care about rebuilding my clan, and I'll put off going after Itachi for another time. Right now, all I want is to be there to help raise our child, and give it everything we never had growing up. I know I don't deserve it, but please forgive me, Naruto. Please give me a second chance."

As he spoke, Sasuke ground his teeth together as he tried his hardest to hold back the tears. Despite his efforts, a lone tear slid down anyway before dropping on the soft carpet. The site nearly made Naruto gasp in surprise. Never in all his years did he think he'd ever see Sasuke cry, as the Uchiha rarely showed any other emotion than anger. Genuinely touched, Naruto pulled Sasuke into a hug and softly whispered in his ear...

"You're already forgiven."

Sasuke smiled as he hugged Naruto a little tighter, his mind now officially made up. Even if he could have all the power in the world, what good was it if he had to give up Naruto's affection? It all meant nothing. As his father had said, no amount of power was worth giving up his soul. Not a single amount in the world.

**This where this chapter ends wonderful fans. I'm sorry if this chapter so unbearably long to update. I've been suffering from writers block while trying to think of how I could make this a little different than the anime. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. Also, for those still haven't guessed by now, the mystery person I was referring to was Kimimaro. His fate will be just a little bit different from the anime as well. How, you ask? Stay tuned, and you'll see.**

**(*)Lightning Style: Hell Stab - A Lightning Release technique where the user concentrates a considerable amount of lightning chakra into just the finger-tips of a single hand and then performs a thrusting motion, which together allows him/her to pierce a target. The intensity, size and strength of the technique can be proportionally increased by reducing the number of fingers involved : 4 fingers being the weakest version and 1 finger being the strongest version.**

**(*)These Rogue Ninja from the Amegakure are not the same as Team Oboro. If you remember, Team Oboro died in the Forest of Death. The Rogue Ninja in this chapter are completely different people.**

**(*)Wind Style: Rasenshuriken - By manipulating Wind Chakra, the user is able to create four large points around the Wind Style: Rasengan, making the Rasengan appear as a giant shuriken with the Rasengan in the center. The technique gives off a loud high pitched screech after being formed. **


	51. Chapter 51

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story. If I did, Naruto would be the most violent, adult-oriented anime out there.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 51**

**Author's Note: Get ready for another lengthy chapter.**

The steady sound of warm, spraying water signaled the beginning of Sasuke's morning as he turned on the shower. Last night had been some of the best sleep he'd gotten in ages, and for once, he hadn't woken up in his usual grumpy mood. After a lecture from Kakashi and a pep talk from his late father, Sasuke had finally been able to come to terms with his inner demons. He'd gotten over his inferiority/superiority issues, he accepted the fact that he was going to be a father, and more importantly, he'd chosen to remain in Konoha. Things were falling back into their usual pace again, and neither Sasuke nor Naruto could be happier.

As Sasuke was about to strip off his clothes, he was interrupted by a knock on the bathroom door. It was Naruto.

"What, usuratonkachi?" Sasuke asked.

"Don't call me that!" Naruto retorted "And I was wondering if I could join you?"

"Why?" asked Sasuke as he raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? It's not like we haven't seen each other naked before." Naruto said as he barged right in, not even waiting for Sasuke to give him an actual answer. Sasuke gave him a sour look, but allowed the blonde to enter anyway.

Without any sort of hesitation around the other, the two deftly stripped themselves of their clothes before climbing into the shower. Of course, Sasuke didn't pass up the opportunity to smack Naruto on the ass as the blonde was stepping in, earning him a yelp and an evil glare. Other than that, the two mostly washed themselves in silence. As they bathed, Sasuke noticed that Naruto payed extra attention to his tummy. It was then when he noticed that the jinchuriki's seal mark bulged out just a little. It was there, but still barely noticeable unless you paid close enough attention. To anyone who didn't know any better, one would've just assumed that Naruto had put on a little weight, but Sasuke knew it was much more than that.

Very gently, Sasuke placed his hand on the small bump, causing Naruto to jump slightly from the sudden action.

"It's actually in there." Sasuke said, though more to himself than Naruto.

Naruto smiled and nodded as he gently placed his hand over Sasuke's. It was still too early for any movement, but it would definitely be there soon. Naruto then took both hands and placed them on Sasuke's chest, taking a few seconds to feel the Uchiha's pecs before gently feeling up the expanse of muscles. Sasuke let out a soft, nearly inaudible groan as his organ stirred and grew hard from the sensitive touches. Naruto noticed this and placed a quick kiss on Sasuke's cheek before turning and allowing the taller male to gently bend him forward...

* * *

After they were done in the shower, Sasuke and Naruto dressed and finished their business before going into the kitchen to join Iruka and Kakashi at the breakfast table. The pair had chosen to simply stay at their sensei's home as neither had felt like making the trek back to their own apartment, especially Sasuke, seeing as how the Uchiha had run all the way from there. Surprisingly, Sakura and Ino were also included at the table as they had arrived earlier that morning.

"Morning everyone!" Naruto said cheerfully as he plopped down between Ino and Iruka.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun." Ino replied as she handed Naruto a plate and passing one to Sasuke as well.

Sasuke sat down without a word, and began loading his plate with food.

"Morning, Sasuke." Kakashi greeted, smiling with his visible eye.

"Hn." was Sasuke's only reply as he dug into his eggs.

As everyone ate, Sakura nervously looked back and forth between her two teammates. They seemed to be okay, but you could never be sure when it came to the two of them. They were both good at putting on fronts.

"So is everything cool between you two now?" Sakura asked. "I mean, you two aren't still fighting, are you?

"Nope. Everything's great now." Naruto replied before taking a sip of his orange juice. "Teme over there is being a dick, but that's just his normal self."

The grin that Naruto sported was quickly wiped away as a piece of toast smacked him in the face, courtesy of Sasuke. Naruto growled at him in annoyance.

"Well that's a relief. We can't have you two fighting each other, especially while Naruto-kun is preggers." Ino said as she gently rubbed Naruto's tummy, earning her a blush from said male blonde.

"Speaking of which, have you two decided on any names yet?" Iruka asked.

"Nope." Sasuke replied nonchalantly, finishing off his eggs and starting on his bacon next.

"If it comes out a girl, I'm gonna name it. If it's a boy, then Sasuke gets to. As far as names go, however, we haven't exactly thought of any...just yet." Naruto admitted sheepishly.

"Well which would you rather prefer: a boy or a girl?" Sakura asked, the topic at hand piquing her interest.

"I've always wanted to have daughter, so I'm kind of hoping it comes out a girl." Naruto replied, placing a hand on his belly.

"What say you, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

"I could care less what I get, so long as it comes normal. Of course, considering how it'll inherit half of Naruto's genes, it'll probably be everything _but _normal." Sasuke replied as he popped his last piece of bacon into his mouth.

"Hey! I may be pregnant, teme, but I can still kick your ass anytime and anyplace!" Naruto shot back, pointing an accusing finger at Sasuke.

"Naruto Uzumaki! What have I told you about that language?" Iruka reprimanded.

"That's not fair! Sasuke's provoking me!"

Sasuke scoffed under his breath. "...usuratonkachi."

"See what I mean? Why don't you stop muttering under your breath, and say it to my face, asshole!"

"Settle down, Naruto, settle down. I believe some fresh air would so us all some good, so lets please get finished eating so we can go." Kakashi intervened, for Iruka was just about to wring Naruto's neck for his rather colorful language.

Everyone silently agreed that fresh air definitely sounded good, as it was a beautiful day outside and it would be no fun spending it indoors. The remainder of breakfast was spent in silence, though Naruto still continued to give Sasuke the evil eye from across the table.

* * *

After a rather eventful breakfast, the group consisting of Ino, Sakura, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto now found themselves at Konoha Park. The light of the morning sun made the park look very beautiful, and the only sounds were the birds singing and the sounds of the leaves brushing against each other as the calm wind blew through them. Iruka could not join them for he had other duties to attend to at the Ninja Academy.

While Sakura, Ino, and Naruto went off to discuss possible baby names, Kakashi was about to follow them when he noticed Sasuke sitting alone on a park bench, obviously deep in thought about something. Curious, Kakashi went over and sat beside him. A moment of silence passed between them before Sasuke finally spoke...

"...You were right." Sasuke said, breaking the silence.

"About what exactly?" Kakashi asked.

"When you said those who go down the path of vengeance end up losing everything, you were right. I never wanna come that close to losing Naruto again." Sasuke clarified.

"Oh. So what I said actually did hit home then?"

"_That_ and what my father said."

Kakashi's visible eye expressed both surprise and confusion at hearing that last bit of information.

"You're father, Fugaku? But...he's...uh..." Kakashi trailed off uneasily. He knew that by talking about Sasuke's parents, he was treading on dangerous ground.

"I know, Kakashi, he's dead. But he did visit me, and it was no Genjutsu. You probably already figured this, but I was actually considering going to Orochimaru in order to gain the power I needed to kill Itachi. I felt my growth here was slowed, and Orochimaru seemed like the only solution. But my father showed me a different way. There's more to life than revenge, and it would be pointless for me to sign my life away to some snake bastard for such a thing. I was selfish to only focus on Itachi, and it nearly cost me everything. Now I realize that I have something better to live for, something more valuable to me than just revenge." Sasuke said.

Kakashi stared at Sasuke as if the Uchiha had grown a second head. That didn't sound like the revenge-obsessed Sasuke he knew at all! Not only that, something else was different too, but Kakashi couldn't quite place his finger on it. It took Kakashi a few minutes, but then it finally hit him: the aura around Sasuke had completely changed. It was no longer dark and cold, but rather bright and warm. That dark look was still in his eyes, but it was no longer as threatening or menacing. In a nutshell, it was like a completely different Sasuke altogether.

"Wow. I must say, Sasuke, I'm very proud of you." Kakashi congratulated. "Does this mean you've given up on revenge entirely then?"

"Not exactly. I still wanna hunt down Itachi, but I'm not gonna let it control me anymore. I've wasted too many years of my life as it is." Sasuke replied.

Kakashi accepted his answer. Asking Sasuke to give up on revenge entirely was like asking Naruto to stop eating ramen. It simply wasn't gonna happen. Even still, Kakashi was thankful that Sasuke had at least gotten over his obsession. He could finally move on with his life.

However, there was one small loose end that Sasuke now had to tie up...

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I'm gonna need a little help with, but I can't discuss it here. I need to speak to Tsunade, and right now..."

Kakashi raised a questioning eyebrow, but nodded anyway before going to fetch Naruto and the others.

* * *

About half an hour later, the small group was headed up the stairs that lead to the Hokage's office. The whole way, Sasuke kept the others in the dark about why they were going to see Tsunade, for he didn't feel like explaining everything just yet. They'd all find out soon enough after Sasuke had spoken to Tsunade herself.

"Damn it, Sasuke. Stop being an ass, and just tell us why were going to see Grandma Tsunade already!" Naruto demanded as they rounded the corner of the long hallway.

"You're about to find out in a moment. Now shut up and be patient, dobe." Sasuke replied as they finally reached the door of the Hokage's office. Sasuke knocked gently and waited for permission to enter.

"It's open." a voice said from the other side.

Sasuke lead the way inside, and stood with the others in front of Tsunade's desk. The mahogany surface was covered with books and stacks of stamped papers waiting to be mailed off.

"Yes, how may I help you guys?" the busty blonde woman asked, knowing who it was without looking up from her work.

"There's a group of Sound ninja hiding outside the village, and I need help bringing them down." Sasuke said bluntly, getting straight to the point.

Instantly, Tsunade stopped what she was doing and looked up at him in surprise.

"Sound ninja outside the village? That's impossible. The shinobi on border patrol haven't reported any enemy sightings." Tsunade informed him.

"That's because their camped out in a meadow just outside of Konoha Forest, outside of our jurisdiction." Sasuke replied.

Tsunade chewed her lower lip as she thought for a moment. "...Not that I don't believe you, but how are you so sure of this?" she finally asked.

"Because one of them confronted me outside the hospital last night." Sasuke revealed, earning him looks of utter shock and confusion from his teammates.

"...I see. Please explain." Tsunade said.

And explain Sasuke did. Tsunade listened intently as he explained his visit from Kimimaro, starting all the way back from the events that transpired after meeting Itachi. As she listened, Tsunade was able to piece together that Orochimaru was after Sasuke for whatever reason, most likely to obtain the Sharingan. The Curse Mark was merely bait to lean Sasuke in his favor. Tsunade knew that this would happen eventually, but even still, not this soon. At least Sasuke had chosen to stay, that much she could be happy about.

"...After that, he gave me a week to think about my decision. I'm assuming that Kimimaro and his team are still waiting for me at that meadow outside the forest." Sasuke finished.

"Well, first and foremost, I'd like to thank you for making the right decision and not giving in to Orochimaru's temptation." Tsunade said in appreciation. "Now then, obviously Orochimaru is after you to more than likely obtain the Uchiha power, a.k.a. the Sharingan. With that being said, I can only conclude that the enemy is here to take you _alive_. That may be something we can use to our advantage. Before we formulate a plan of attack, is there anything else you can tell me about the enemy?"

Sasuke paused for a moment as he thought back to his fight with Kimimaro.

"Kimimaro said his group was called the Sound Ninja Five, so I can only assume that his cell consists of four other people. I have no idea what their abilities are since only Kimimaro was there to confront me. As for Kimimaro himself, I admit that he is formidable and dangerous. He has a kekkei genkai that allows him to use his bones as weapons. I say it's a kekkei genkai because my Sharingan couldn't copy it."

Tsunade nearly uttered a gasp at hearing that bit of information. "His...bones?"

"Yeah. The entire fight he used a bone sword that he pulled out of his shoulder, except there was something odd about it. No matter what I did, I couldn't so much as even crack the damn thing. It couldn't have been human bone."

"...Hmm. That sounds eerily familiar somehow."

"Do you know anything about it, Granny Tsunade?" Naruto asked. He'd never heard of a bone kekkei genkai before, but it sounded pretty badass.

"Well, there used to be a group that roamed the Land of Water who possessed a genetic ability just like that. I believe they were called the Kaguya Clan, but they were wiped out years ago. I wonder if maybe. . .nevermind. Is there anything else you can tell me, Sasuke?"

"There's nothing more I know about him other than he has white hair, two red dots on his forehead, and green eyes." Sasuke replied.

"That's fine. Everything else you have given me will suffice. I will call a council meeting to discuss this. Until we devise a strategy, return home and I will notify you when it is time. And thank you again, Sasuke. You've revealed a threat that would've otherwise went undetected. As a reward, is there anything you'd like in return?"

It took Sasuke no time at all to think of something that would greatly satisfy him.

"The only request I have is that in whatever plan you come up with, make sure there's a part where I get a rematch with that bastard Kimimaro..."

* * *

Shikamaru yawned for about the millionth time that morning as he looked down at his breakfast. He really wasn't all that hungry, and the only reason he was even up at this hour was because of Neji. Apparently, the Hyuga prodigy felt that sleeping in was unhealthy and had promptly drug the lazy Nara out of bed with him. Now here he was, sitting at the breakfast table about ready to let his head fall in his pancakes. Mornings were such a drag.

"Would you hurry up and eat, Shikamaru? Your dad has an important mission to get to. If you just sit there, he won't have time for morning training." Yoshino Nara scolded as she walked into the dining room and set down a glass of orange juice.

"Yeah, yeah." Shikamaru said lazily. '_From the moment I wake up, it's nag, nag, nag. Damn, I need a vacation.'_

Before Yoshino could scold her soon further, she was stopped by someone ringing the doorbell. Whoever it was, Shikamaru silently thanked them for their timing. They couldn't have come at a better moment.

"Now who could that be at this hour?" Yoshino asked herself out loud as she went to go answer the door.

"I like your mother. I wish she were mine sometimes." Neji said before taking another bite of his pancakes.

"Oh please. You're just saying that because she likes you. If she was bitching at you 24/7 like she does me, you wouldn't say that." Shikamaru replied. "Come to think of it. . . Hey, dad? There's something I been meaning to ask you."

Shikaku Nara took a sip of his coffee before answering. "Yes, what is it?"

"What on Earth made you wanna marry such a crabby woman like mom?"

Shikaku thought for a moment. "That's a good question. You see, no matter how strong-minded a woman is, she will show kindness to the man she loves. Your mother has her moments."

"That's it?" Shikamaru asked in a bored tone. "That's bogus."

"It's the truth, take it or leave it."

At that moment, Yoshino returned to the dining room with a genuine smile on her face.

"Oh son-of-mine, Lady Hokage has sent a messenger to see you." Yoshino said brightly.

Shikamaru raised both eyebrows in surprise. "Huh...?"

* * *

Elsewhere in Konoha, Sasuke and Naruto spent time at their own apartment, watching television from the comfort of their couch and waiting for notification that it was time to start the mission. They were supposed to have been watching some action movie, but Sasuke wasn't really paying attention. Currently, his mind was preoccupied with what he would soon face.

This situation was inevitable, as he would've had to gone back to Kimimaro anyway to tell him his answer. Even though Sasuke was confident in himself that he could win, in all honesty, he still couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Sure, he had a new resolve to help him, but Kimimaro still had moves that were in a another league. It wouldn't be easy, but Sasuke had to do this. If not for himself, then for Naruto, his baby, and the safety of Konoha. Feeling a pair of eyes on him, Sasuke looked over at Naruto and saw that the blonde was staring at him.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"So. . . were you really planning on leaving?" Naruto asked, answering with a question.

Sasuke sighed. He figured this was coming sooner or later. "Yes, Naruto. At the time, I actually did consider leaving to go to Orochimaru."

"You really got that jealous?"

"...Yeah."

Naruto was silent and continued to stare at Sasuke for a few more seconds before the blonde abruptly burst into uncontrollable laughter. Sasuke stared at him with a look of utter confusion.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked.

"I still can't believe it! _The _Sasuke Uchiha is actually jealous of _me_! I love it!" Naruto said before laughing again.

"You moron! That moment was a breakthrough for me, and you're laughing? I don't believe you!" Sasuke replied angrily. This certainly wasn't how he had expected things to go.

"I'm not saying I don't take it seriously. It's just, now that I think back on it, I can't help but find it ironic that the class genius would be jealous of me. If someone had of told me this would happen back when we still in the Ninja Academy, I would've never believed them! Though I always knew I was the better one."

Feeling an angry vein pop out on his head, Sasuke deftly smacked Naruto upside the head, effectively cutting the blonde's laughter short.

"Ow! That hurt, you bastard." Naruto said as he rubbed the back of his head. "You shouldn't hit the person who's carrying your kid."

"I can if he's being an insensitive dumbass." Sasuke retorted. "Besides, it's not like I hit you in the stomach. You'll live."

Seeing Naruto frown, Sasuke pulled Naruto closer to him and kissed the blonde on the spot on his head where he'd smacked him.

"So why exactly is Orochimaru after you? He must want you really bad if he sent someone to come get you." Naruto said after he'd pulled away.

"That, I don't know. It probably does have something to do with the Sharingan, but I plan to find out for sure from Kimimaro when I get the chance. After I get done with Kimimaro, Orochimaru is definitely next on my list. I'm not gonna have that snake bastard sending people after me, and putting you and the baby in danger." Sasuke replied.

Naruto nodded in agreement and laid his head on Sasuke's shoulder. As the two cuddled on the couch and prepared to actually pay attention to the movie, there was a knock at the door.

"Figures." Sasuke said as he got up and went into the kitchen to answer the door.

It was Shikamaru.

"What does your lazy ass want?" Sasuke asked.

"Look, this is gonna be a real drag, but I need you and Naruto to join me on a little mission." Shikamaru answered with a bored expression.

"Pass. I'm already waiting to hear back on a mission from Tsunade. It's rather important."

"By any chance, does it involve hunting down a group of Sound ninja outside the village?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Because I've just been appointed _leader _of that mission. As troublesome as it is, I'll explain after you get you and Naruto get your shit together..."

* * *

In the next hour, Sasuke and Naruto were leaping through the trees of Konoha Forest with a group that consisted of Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, and Kiba/Akamaru. Sakura couldn't join them because she had duties to attend to at the hospital, and Kakashi and Ino had gotten called out on a mission. Leading the group was Shikamaru, who had recently been promoted to Chunin only that morning. Tsunade had been hesitant to send Shikamaru out on his first mission as a Chunin so soon, but the village was still tight on shinobi at the moment, so she'd had no other choice.

Fortunately, the group at least knew which meadow they had to check out. Using the information given to her by Sasuke, Tsunade had ordered every shinobi on border patrol to search every meadow outside of Konoha Forest, and to be on the lookout for anyone matching Kimimaro's description. Within an hour, word came in that a member of the Hyuga Clan had spotted a group of five shinobi hiding in a meadow closest to Konoha Forest with his Byakugan, one of them matching Kimimaro's description. Needless to say, it saved Shikamaru's group a lot of time.

The plan was to send in Sasuke after they'd gotten within close proximity of the enemy's location. Sasuke would be sent in to lower the enemy's guard, giving the team the opportunity to move in and catch the enemy by surprise. They'd never see it coming.

"Wait a second! Everybody stop!" Shikamaru ordered.

At Shikamaru's command, the team came to a stop on the same branch one by one.

"What's the hold up?" Kiba asked impatiently, itching for some combat action.

Rather than answer verbally, Shikamaru pointed to something ahead of them. Following his gaze, the group saw a lone paper bomb on the tree in front of them, signaling that a trap had been set.

"What's the big deal?" asked Choji. "It's just a paper bomb."

"Not just _a _paper bomb. More than likely, it's part of a Perimeter Barrier. There are probably three others just like it somewhere, forming a square. Rather than explode instantaneously, there's a delay after the perimeter is breached. This gives the victim just enough time to make it to the center before the bombs explode." Shikamaru explained. "Since we've already run into a trap, I'm guessing the enemy is just ahead."

"Indeed they are." Neji confirmed with his Byakugan. "I'm seeing five individuals at least thirty-eight meters ahead of us."

"Alright, this is it then. Sasuke, you ready?"

Sasuke nodded his head in approval. After having Neji relay the location of the other paper bombs, Sasuke was able to go around the booby trapped area and continue onward. The group followed him for a ways more before Sasuke had to continue forward on his own. Did Sasuke have any doubts about what he was about to face? Maybe, but he said not a word as he grew closer to the campsite of the Sound Ninja Five, and not a word as he stood in the middle of them.

Not a word...

"So, _this _is the Sasuke Uchiha Lord Orochimaru is always talking about." Kidomaru said in an unimpressed tone, his first pair of arms crossed his chest. "Hn, he doesn't look all that impressive to me."

"I agree. Kimimaro would make a much better vessel than this brat." said Sakon.

"He's rather scrawny." Jirobo added.

"I doubt this motherfucker even knows how to fight." Tayuya said.

Despite the negative comments being made all around him, Sasuke was able to remain calm. On the inside, however, he was contemplating different ways in which he could give them all a slow, agonizing death. That part would come soon. Right now, though, he would keep his cool and allow them to remain smug. Suddenly, the chatter around him died down as Kimimaro took a step forward and walked up to him.

"Glad you could make it, Sasuke Uchiha. I must admit, I did not expect you here so soon." Kimimaro said. "I take it you have come to a decision?"

Sasuke nodded. Moments passed, and Sasuke still had not said anything. He was trying to by enough time for everyone to get into position. After a couple more moments, Sasuke saw a faint glimmer in the bushes from Shikamaru flashing a small mirror. It was time.

"Well? What's it gonna be? We don't have all day, slowass." Tayuya said impatiently.

". . .I've decided. . .to say screw Orochimaru and all the rest of you bastards!

Before any of the Sound Five could react, Sasuke leaped into the air out of harm's way as Choji burst from the bushes with his _Human Boulder Jutsu_, barreling over Jirobo with the force of a semi truck. Not a second sooner, Kiba & Akamaru slammed into Sakon with his _Fang Over Fang_, Shikamaru blasted Tayuya back with paper bombs attached to a handful of kunai, Neji fended off Kidomaru with his Gentle Fist Style, and Sasuke assisted Naruto as he engaged Kimimaro in combat with his brass-knuckle like Chakra Knives.

Within only a few seconds, the small quiet meadow had become a battlefield, Konoha vs Otogakure. Before long, the battle become too great to be contained within the small meadow. Choji and Jirobo ended up having it out in a small nearby clearing, Neji and Kidomaru duked it out in another part of the forest, and Shikamaru and Tayuya remained in the meadow as Sasuke and Naruto chased down Kimimaro, who'd chosen to fall back.

As they chased Kimimaro through the trees, Naruto rapidly made a set of hand seals.

"_Wind Style: Vacuum_ _Bullets!_"

After making the hand seals and inhaling, Naruto exhaled small blasts of wind chakra from his mouth. The blasts of wind chakra acted in a manner similar to bullets, tearing through the leaves and tree branches as though they were made of toilet paper. Using his abnormal reflexes, however, Kimimaro was able to fluidly dodge Naruto's attacks, all while still maintaining his speed. As Kimimaro began to speed up, Naruto grew agitated.

"No way he's getting away from me!" Naruto angrily exclaimed as he zipped forward with a burst of speed.

"Wait, Naruto! Stop! He's too strong to for you to handle alone!" Sasuke yelled in protest. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears. Kimimaro and Naruto bounded off ahead, leaving Sasuke behind to catch up. "Damn it all, Naruto!"

* * *

After a lengthy chase through the forest, Naruto and Kimimaro eventually arrived at a large clearing dotted with large boulders here and there. Finally in an area where he could fight more comfortably, Kimimaro unzipped his lavender shirt and allowed it to hang around his waist. Just like in his initial fight with Sasuke, Kimimaro pulled a bone sword out of his shoulder and pointed it at Naruto.

"I must admit, you are very persistent. However, this chase, and your life ends, here." Kimimaro said, as though stating a fact.

"Shut up! The only way you're taking Sasuke away from me is over my dead body!" Naruto hollered, activating his Rinnegan.

'_What interesting eyes this one has.' _Kimimaro thought to himself as he watched Naruto go through a set of hand seals.

"_Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"_

Naruto took a breath and shook his head from side to as he exhaled, blowing out a stream of wind chakra like a whip. Sensing the danger, Kimimaro was able to jump into the air out of the way and watched in fascination as the solitary stream of wind chakra acted like a blade, slicing through the boulders with ease. Had Kimimaro not moved, he would've been sliced in half right through the middle.

Upon landing on the ground, Kimimaro charged toward Naruto with lightning speed, his face set with the determination not to fail his master. Unnerved, Naruto pulled out of a couple of shuriken and breathed a stream of wind chakra onto one of them before tossing it at Kimimaro. The wind chakra formed extensions from the blades, giving the shuriken the characteristics of a power-saw blade. Kimimaro moved to the side as it zipped past, cutting a boulder behind him in half.

Naruto did the same with other one before tossing it as well. When that too was dodged, Naruto pulled out a handful more and tossed them one after another after infusing them with wind chakra. Despite the speed at which he was going, Kimimaro was able to effortlessly dodge each and every projectile. However, the last one did manage to at least graze his cheek, leaving a long deep cut. **(********This entire scene looks really cool if you imagine it happening in slow motion)**

Seeing as how there was now no point in throwing more projectiles, Naruto applied his Chakra Knives to his hands and clashed with Kimimaro head on. The fight was evenly balanced, neither one really gaining the upperhand. When they clashed again and began to struggle to overpower the other, Kimimaro saw an opportunity.

"It ends here. _Larch Dance."_

After extending numerous bone spikes all over his body, Kimimaro rapidly spun around in an attempt to slash Naruto's body in multiple areas. Had Naruto not been able to harden his body with the _Earth Style: Earth Spear Jutsu, _Naruto would've been sliced from head to toe.

"_Shinra Tensei!"_

Before he could express shock over actually having the Larch Dance blocked, Kimimaro was swatted a good distance away by an invisible gravitational force. Luckily, he was able to regain himself in mid air before successfully skidding to a stop.

'_This one is stronger than than I thought. I never would've imagined that he'd be able to harden his skin, let alone blow me away using the power of his mind. Now I understand how he was able to give Lord Orochimaru so much trouble. I have to kill him now before he becomes an even bigger problem for my master in the future. I believe the Willow Dance should do the trick.' _Kimimaro thought as his bones retracted into his body.

After extending a bone spike from either of his hands, Kimimaro dashed forward with an incredible burst of speed. As he sped toward his opponent, Kimimaro witnessed the blonde go through several hand seals before blowing a compressed ball of air from his mouth.

'_Hn. An attack like that will never work._' Kimimaro thought to himself as he fired the bones of his fingertips at the projectile. Unbeknownst to him, that was exactly what Naruto wanted him to do.

As the finger bullets made contact, the compressed ball of wind chakra exploded into a powerful cyclone that not only swept away a surprised Kimimaro, but also caused massive damage to the landscape. Boulders the size of buildings were blown away as though they were mere pebbles, and entire chunks of the ground were ripped apart. Despite the damage already being done, Naruto wasn't done just yet.

"_Fire Style: Searing Migraine!_"

After making the necessary hand seals, Naruto made a ring with his thumb and index finger through which he blew a small fireball. The small fireball ignited with the man-made hurricane to form a massive fire cyclone that scorched the Earth and seemed to burn the very air itself. Eventually, the firestorm died down and all was quiet, except for the sound of Naruto panting.

"I got him. It's finally over." Naruto said after breathing a sigh of relief.

As he prepared to lower his guard, Naruto felt a chakra signature suddenly spike up from underneath him. All Naruto had time to do was widen his eyes in disbelief as Kimimaro burst up from the ground toward him, poised to plunge a bone spike straight through his heart.

At the last second, just as Kimimaro's attack was about to pierce Naruto's chest, Sasuke appeared from out of nowhere and delivered a strong **(*)**flying kick to Kimimaro's jaw, sending the youth hurling back and bouncing along the charred ground before eventually managing to catch himself. If it wasn't for his kekkei genkai's ability to harden his bones, Kimimaro's bottom jaw would've been shattered.

'_Look like I made it just in time. Even still, look at this place. Looks like Naruto really pulled out the big guns on this guy. Hn, typical.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he surveyed the damage around him.

"Glad you made it when you did, Sasuke! Any second longer, and I would've been a goner!" Naruto exclaimed in relief.

Sasuke scoffed at him and promptly smacked the blonde upside the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Naruto angrily asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"For being hot-headed and almost getting yourself killed, dumbass." Sasuke replied nonchalantly.

Naruto grumbled and folded his arms over his chest. He hated it when Sasuke was right about something.

"Even still, I'm glad you were able to hold him off until I could get here. Now, butt out and let me handle the rest."

Naruto gaped at him. "No way! You said it yourself: he's too strong for anyone to handle on their own! The only way we can bring him down is if we do it together! This is no time for your loner attitude, teme!"

"This isn't about pride, or anything of the sort, dobe. Yes, I'm sure we can beat him if we work together, but this is something I need to do by myself. You've done your part by holding your own until I could get here, now let me do mine."

"But-"

"Naruto, for once in your life, listen to me! This is _my _fight. _I _am the one he's after, and if anyone is going to beat him, it has to be _me_. This is something that I must do on my own. Besides, I've already come close to losing you twice and I don't plan on letting a third time happen. Now do as I say, and stay out of this one."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it again. Obviously, this fight meant something more to Sasuke that Naruto did not understand. The Uchiha's mind had been firmly made up, and arguing was going to get him nowhere. Naruto would simply have to comply with Sasuke's wishes this time, even though his body was telling him to do the exact opposite.

Begrudgingly, Naruto deactivated his Rinnegan, put his Chakra Knives away, and moved back to safe distance. Once Naruto was safely in the background, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and walked forward. Ahead of him, Kimimaro stood ready with his bone sword in hand.

"I was beginning think you weren't coming, Sasuke. Any second longer, and your little friend would've been well on his way to the next world." Kimimaro said as Sasuke stopped a short distance away from him.

"Leave him out this. This fight is between us." Sasuke said as he withdrew his own sword.

"I am going to give you one final chance to come join Lord Orochimaru in Otogakure. Think about all that you are giving up, all the power that you could wield. If you join Lord Orochimaru rather than fight him, you will become invincible. Anything and everything you desire in this world will be yours. Nothing would-"

"I could care less. If obtaining all the power in the world means having to leave my home and those I care about, then I would rather have nothing at all! I will never go to the likes of Orochimaru just for the sake of power. After I get done with you, he's next!"

A moment of silence passed between them as Kimimaro cracked his neck and breathed a sigh of frustration. The wind gently blew between them as they stared each other down, but neither one even so much as blinking.

"Fine. If you wish to do this the hard way, then so be it. I am returning to Lord Orochimaru and you are coming with me, even if I must break every bone in your body just to drag you there."

Sasuke smirked. "Well, you're at least half right. You are returning to Orochimaru, but in pieces. I'm gonna mail them to that son of a bitch myself!"

**Please review and let me know what you think. Next chapter, Sasuke vs Kimimaro!**

**(*)Basically, it's the Dynamic Entry** **move that Guy always uses.**


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story.**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 52**

**Author's Note: Gonna be another long one.**

**Theme for this chapter: Heart of the Sword (ending theme song for Rurouni Kenshin. Look it up on youtube sometime.)**

After twirling his sword in an impressive show of swordsmanship, Sasuke charged forward at the same moment as Kimimaro, sword clashing against solid bone. The shockwave of the impact forced the combatants apart before they charged and clashed with each other again. When they forced each other apart again, they began to run parallel with each other, moving in to clash with each other before forcing themselves apart over and over again. To anyone with an untrained eye, Sasuke and Kimimaro appeared to be moving at inhuman speeds. But to each other, they were evenly matched in terms of speed.

They moved all over the battlefield, trying to best the other, but neither managing to gain the upperhand. Seeing as how this was getting him nowhere, Sasuke decided to go for a different approach. When he was forced back from a clash, Sasuke rapidly went through a set of hand seals.

"_Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!_"

Sasuke inhaled deeply before expelling numerous fireballs from his mouth. Thinking of roughly the same thing as Sasuke, Kimimaro dashed to the side and fired the bones of his fingertips at the incoming projectiles. Some of them were incinerated while others made it through, forcing Sasuke to move while blowing out more fireballs. Sasuke fired them as fast as he could, however Kimimaro was simply faster, moving with liquid grace as he dodged while firing his own projectiles at the same time.

"This guy doesn't waste anything in his movements." Naruto commented as he watched the battle unfold.

Seeing an opportunity, Kimimaro dodged another series of fireballs before unexpectedly dashing forward. Sasuke was caught off guard as Kimimaro abruptly appeared in front of him and punched him hard in the chest, sending the Uchiha flying into a pile of rubble.

"Sasuke...!" Naruto cried in alarm.

"Those fireballs were really beginning to get on my nerves." Kimimaro said as he watched Sasuke stir underneath the debris.

With a grunt, Sasuke hauled the rocks from off top of him and got to his feet. "I could say the same about those finger bullets of yours." he replied coolly.

"Hn. Then allow me to try something a little different."

Using his kekkei genkai, Kimimaro forced the top of his spinal cord to protrude up behind his neck, the bone making a sickening cracking sound as it broke the skin. Kimimaro grabbed it and, more to Naruto's shock, used it to pull out his entire spinal column in the form of a whip. The protrusions on the bone whip were modified to make them stronger and sharper, and in the gaps between the bones was cartilage to allow for flexibility. Another cracking sound filled the air as a new spine grew to replace the old one.

'_Great, he's gonna use his own spinal cord as a weapon. I suppose when you can use your bones as weapons, anything is possible.' _Sasuke thought as he prepared himself for whatever would happen next.

With a grunt, Kimimaro rushed at him with a burst of speed, swinging the bone whip around him before lunging it at Sasuke. The Uchiha moved to the side as the whip hit, ripping through the rubble behind him. The wild, unorthodox movements of the whip made it difficult to avoid, let alone get close to Kimimaro. However, Sasuke was able to stay a step ahead of it anyway as Kimimaro swung it at him again and again, tearing up the ground and through any boulders that were in the way.

At last, however, Sasuke did slip up, letting out a scream of pain as the bone whip ripped right through his arm. Wasting no time, Kimimaro wrapped the Uchiha up in his bone whip and pulled hard on the handle. It should have resulted in Sasuke being torn to pieces. Instead, however, Sasuke dematerialized into pure lightning chakra, resulting in Kimimaro letting out a cry of pain as he was violently electrocuted, his bone whip shattering into millions of pieces.

"W-What...just happened?" Kimimaro asked himself out loud as he collapsed to one knee in pain, his entire body seizing up on him.

Suddenly, the real Sasuke burst up from the rubble where he'd been kicked, the _Raikiri _sparking wildly in his left hand.

"_Lightning Style: Beast Running Jutsu!_"

The _Raikiri _expanded into the form of a hound that charged at Kimimaro as the Uchiha thrust his hand forward. The lightning hound was still connected to Sasuke's hand by a string of electricity, allowing the Uchiha to control it during its attack.

'_Now I understand__. The one from earlier was simply a doppleganger made out of lightning chakra. The shock from defeating it would paralyze me, leaving me helpless to his next move_. _How clever._' Kimimaro thought to himself before he was struck head-on by the lightning beast and was flung straight up into the air.

With a smirk, Sasuke covered himself in his _Lightning Style Armor _and dashed to Kimimaro's position in the air faster than what the human brain could process, making it appear as though he'd teleported.

"_Guillotine Drop!_"

With all of his greatly enhanced strength, Sasuke delivered a downward kick to Kimimaro's chest with more than enough force to shatter his entire ribcage. The bone-user smashed into the ground, the impact being hard enough to be felt even by Naruto, despite his distance away. Sasuke dropped to the ground and back flipped a ways back before dispersing his _Lightning Style Armor_. For the moment, all was quiet, save the sound of Sasuke panting.

"That had to have done it. Nobody could survive something like that." Naruto said himself out loud.

Sasuke waited in suspense to see what would happen next. This battle was taking a toll on his chakra reserves, and using the _Lightning Style Armor_ in conjunction with that last attack had left him with even less to work with. If that hadn't brought Kimimaro own, nothing would. For the moment though, it seemed as though it had worked.

Suddenly, Sasuke's head perked up when he felt Kimimaro's chakra spike up again. Then, slowly, Kimimaro pulled himself up out of the man-made crater with his bone sword in-hand, now sporting a rather ugly bruise in the center of his chest.

"You can't be serious! What hell is this guy made of?" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief.

"I must admit, Sasuke, that was rather impressive." Kimimaro said as he cracked his joints. "Had I not been able to harden my bones, I probably would not be standing here right now."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes before abruptly throwing a handful of shuriken at Kimimaro, all of which Kimimaro effortlessly cut in half. A single moment passed before Kimimaro rushed forward, his bone sword extended in front of him. Thanks to his quick reflexes, however, Sasuke jumped into the air just in time, causing Kimimaro to strike the boulder that was behind him instead.

"Hn, foolish!" Kimimaro said as he jumped and thrust his weapon up into the air.

Alarmed, Sasuke pulled out his own sword and used it to knock Kimimaro's weapon slightly off course. Rather than stab him in the abdomen, the bone sword instead pierced his side, causing him to scream in pain as it came out the other side. Kimimaro then yanked his sword out of the wound and roundhouse kicked Sasuke away. Fortunately, despite the pain, Sasuke caught himself and skidded to a stop.

'_He may have avoided being impaled, but that wound is going to slow him down_. _I believe the Camellia Dance should be enough for him._' Kimimaro explained as he got into a fighting stance similar to the (*)_Gatotsu_.

Fighting through the pain in his side, Sasuke got to his feet and mounted a defense as Kimimaro lunged at him again, thrusting his bone sword forward. This time, however, Sasuke moved to the side at the last second with inhuman reflexes. Kimimaro's forward momentum made it impossible to stop on the spot, leaving him helpless as Sasuke twirled and delivered a hard kick to the back of his neck, hurling him face first into a boulder, and reducing it into a pile of rocks.

"It's going to take more than a simple wound to the hip to slow me down. Don't think you have the upperhand just yet." Sasuke said as he watched Kimimaro rise from the rubble.

"Full of surprises, aren't you? I see why Lord Orochimaru wants you so badly." Kimimaro said after spitting out a wisdom tooth, a thin trickle of blood running down his face. "And I'm delivering you to him in a hand basket!"

Sasuke met Kimimaro head on as they clashed yet again, moving all over the battlefield, pushing off boulders to give them more speed and momentum. As they moved in into clash again, Sasuke was able to knock Kimimaro's bone sword loose, leaving the Kaguya Clan member defenseless, though not completely.

"Next strike, your head will fly." Sasuke said as he pointed his sword.

"Hn. We'll see about that." Kimimaro said before rushing Sasuke head on.

'_So, in the end you still chose Orochimaru over your own life. Hn, good riddance asshole.'_

As Sasuke prepared to strike him down, Kimimaro took off his purple rope belt and used it to slap Sasuke's sword out of his hand. After delivering a vicious series of punches to his stunned opponent, he swung behind Sasuke, wrapped the rope belt around his neck, and attempted to choke the Uchiha out, lifting up with all his strength so that Sasuke's feet didn't even touch the ground.

Just as Kimimaro thought he'd had the upperhand, he was blasted back a good distance by a powerful discharge of Lightning Chakra released from Sasuke's body. The opportunity gave Sasuke the time he needed to catch his breath. A few more seconds longer, and he would've passed out from lack of oxygen.

For Kimimaro, however, things had become quite complicated. This was not how he'd expected things to go. He didn't know what had happened, but Sasuke had definitely gotten stronger somehow, for he hadn't been this strong during their first encounter. Either way, he had to deliver Sasuke to Orochimaru at any cost, no matter what it took. Seeing as how he was low on chakra and hardly had anymore strength to continue, Kimimaro had only one option.

Closing his eyes, Kimimaro allowed his Curse Mark to completely envelope his body, ascending to Stage 2. His normally pale skin turned dark grey, six large bone spikes protruded from his back, and a long spiked tail grew from his spine. Last to go were his eyes, which went from green to yellow and his sclera turning charcoal black. He didn't have much time left, so he had to make this quick.

"Oh great. Now what the hell is this?" Sasuke muttered to himself as he turned on his ass, sensing a change in chakra coming from behind him.

"I'll admit, Sasuke Uchiha, you are the strongest opponent I have ever fought. Never before has anyone pushed me to use Stage 2 of my Curse Mark. Consider yourself honored." Kimimaro said. "Now, _Clematis Dance: Flower__._"

Using a considerable amount of chakra and the full power of his kekkei genkai, Kimimaro grew an enormous bone drill from his left hand, so big that it took up his entire arm. It was his strongest weapon, enhanced to the highest degree maximum solidity due to the dense compression of the bones twisting around each other. It was bone of the highest density, capable of piercing through anything. Nothing could break it.

"This is the end!"

With that, Kimimaro charged forward with another burst of speed, his bone drill extended forward like a jousting spear. As he came closer, Sasuke attempted to rise to his feet, but found that he could not. He'd used up more strength than he really had, and his body simply could not keep up. Despair set in as Sasuke watched Kimimaro speed toward him like an oncoming train, feeling like a sitting duck.

So, this was it. In the end, it looked like he was going to Orochimaru anyway. He'd fought hard, but apparently not hard enough. Once Sasuke was incapacitated, there would be nothing to stop Kimimaro from going after...

'_NO! I won't let **that **happen. I refuse to let it end this way! I refuse to lose to a scumbag like him! I'd die before I ever let Orochimaru get his hands on me!'_

Suddenly, Sasuke felt a huge surge of power well up within him from out of nowhere. He didn't know where it came from, but Sasuke wasn't about to question it. With new found determination, Sasuke got to his feet and immediately surrounded himself with his _Lightning Style Armor_. That's was when Sasuke noticed something else odd. Normally, the _Lightning Style Armor _would rapidly drain his chakra upon activation. This time, however, that didn't happen. If anything, it was _giving _him more power.

'_Strange, he seems rejuvenated all of a sudden. No matter, I'll finish him before does whatever he's planning.'_ Kimimaro thought as he increased his speed a little more.

Unfortunately, all that speed contributed to be Kimimaro's downfall. Sasuke teleported forward with a burst of speed so powerful it tore up the ground at his starting point. All Kimimaro could do was open his mouth in an "O" of surprise as Sasuke appeared in front of him and drove his elbow into his jaw as hard as he possibly could, the blow being heard and felt even from Naruto's distance.

With the _Lightning Style Armor_ actually shattering his bone drill, Kimimaro was hurled back like a ragdoll, smashing into a large boulder behind him and winding up stuck in the impression his body created. Slowly, the boulder cracked until it finally fell apart around him, his body laying on top of the debris.

With a sigh of relief, Sasuke deactivated his _Lightning Style Armor_ before going over to pick up his sword. It was finally over.

He'd won.

* * *

"I wonder where that inner power come from? It couldn't have been the Curse Mark, or else it would've felt dark. It was all genuinely my own chakra, but..." Sasuke trailed off to himself after picking up his sword and examining it. "Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"Sasuke, you won!" Naruto exclaimed happily as he ran over and captured Sasuke in a tight hug. "I thought you were a goner for a minute there. Lucky you got that second wind, cause I was about to step in. How did you do that anyway?"

"...I'll let you know when I figure it out myself." Sasuke replied after a moment, but returned the hug none the less. "Normally, the _Lightning Style Armor _leaves me drained. But instead, it increased my chakra for some reason."

"Think about it when we get back to Konoha. Now c'mon, we gotta regroup with Shikamaru and the others."

Sasuke looked over to Kimimaro's direction and narrowed his eyes.

"No, not yet."

Without any explanation, Sasuke casually made his way over to where Kimimaro's body lay, a curious Naruto following close behind. As it turned out, Kimimaro actually was still alive, his jaw surprising still intact despite the tremendous impact. Obviously though, the guy wasn't moving any time soon. He didn't appear to have any broken bones, but his body was beyond exhausted and that hit had taken whatever strength he'd had left. The guy apparently didn't even have enough strength to stay transformed, for he was now back to his original self.

"Still alive, huh? Gotta admit, you're one tough son of a bitch." Sasuke said as he and Naruto stood over Kimimaro.

Surprisingly, Kimimaro did not protest or curse Sasuke. Instead, he stared up at the sky and was silent for a minute, appearing to be deep in thought about something. A lone tear dropped down his cheek before he finally spoke.

". . .Kill me. I have failed both my master and at the one thing that could give my worthless existence any meaning. Death is all that awaits me now." Kimimaro said, still looking up at the sky.

'_This guy...his eyes don't hold any evil or dark intent at all, only sadness. I don't know why, but I feel bad for this guy all of sudden.' _Naruto thought to himself.

"Hn, if it's death you want then death you shall have." Sasuke said as he raised his sword. "Good riddance to ya!"

"Wait, stop!" Naruto said, catching Sasuke's hand and ignoring the glare being sent his way.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sasuke asked in an irritated tone.

"I just need to ask him something real quick." Naruto replied, letting Sasuke's hand go.

"You wanna run that by me again?"

"It'll only take a minute. There's a couple things I need to know."

Sasuke shook his head in exasperation, but moved to the side anyway so that Naruto could address the person at hand. Why Naruto wanted to speak to the guy who'd tried to kill him went over Sasuke's head completely. Sometimes, there was just no figuring the blonde out.

"Your name is Kimimaro, right? What did you mean when you said you'd failed at the one thing that could give your life meaning? Why are you so obsessed with helping someone like Orochimaru?" Naruto asked.

At hearing those questions, Kimimaro's gaze finally shifted from the sky to Naruto, his face still showing no emotion, but his eyes telling a different story. At first, Kimimaro said nothing, leading Naruto to believe he wasn't going to answer. At last, however...

"In order for me to tell you that, you must understand my history. It's not a happy one, but if you are willing to listen, I suppose I'll tell you." Kimimaro finally replied.

Naruto only nodded to show that he was all ears. Sasuke, on the other hand, just looked plain annoyed. He could care less about the bastard's past.

"Most of my childhood was spent locked up in a cage, cut off from the outside world. My family, the Kaguya Clan, feared my abilities and what I was capable of. During my time spent in solitude, I began to question the world around me. Why are we here? Why are people born, I used to ask myself. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that we are all put on this Earth for a special reason. Each one of us has something we're meant to do with our lives. I am no different. However, I could not find my purpose. I was simply raised in the darkness, forever lost with no reason to live." Kimimaro explained.

"The only time I was ever allowed outside was when the clan needed me to fight. It wasn't long before I came to call that my reason for living. I didn't care what I had to do or who I had to kill, so long as I could be of use to someone. That gave my existence some value. However, it only lasted but for so long. One night, the Kaguya invaded Kirigakure, and were all slaughtered. I was the only survivor of that incident. For the remainder of my childhood, I wandered all alone as the sole survivor of the Kaguya Clan. But then..._he _appeared."

As Naruto listened, he began to understand why Kimimaro was the he was, why he felt a connection, even without him having to finish his story. Kimimaro had suffered the same loneliness that Naruto had. They both grew up wanting to be acknowledged and loved by someone. Fortunately, Naruto had Iruka. Kimimaro, however, had...

"Lord Orochimaru found me in the forest when I still a mere child. If there really was a point to life, he would help me find it if I followed him. So I did. Lord Orochimaru was the first person to ever care for me, and by following him, I eventually did find a new reason to live. My reason to live existed in helping him fulfill his own dream of acquiring all that this world had to offer. I completed whatever assignment he had for me without question. I was finally of use to somebody, and that's all that mattered. So long as I could help him reach his dream, I was happy."

"But how does his 'dream' involve Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"Lord Orochimaru has already acquired the immortality jutsu, but a vast amount of time is needed to obtain _every _jutsu and everything he wants from this world. Just because he is immortal does not mean his body can maintain itself forever. So before his body withers and decays, a new stronger body must be made into a vessel for his soul. Originally, I was to be that vessel. Unfortunately, I became stricken with illness and my body was no longer of any use. To be the vessel _was _my purpose in life, but it slipped away from me. What was there left to give my existence meaning? And then I realized, my purpose was not to _be _the vessel, but _find _the vessel. That was the only I could repay my master for my failure, hence how I came to be here now. Unfortunately, I have even failed in that. If there is no reason for me to live, then I am better off dead."

As Kimimaro finished telling his story, Naruto now fully understood the boy perfectly. Kimimaro was not evil at all. He did none of what he did simply for pleasure, but because that was all he knew. Fighting and killing was how he had been raised all his life. All Kimimaro had ever wanted was someone who could give his life meaning and he found that in the worst possible person. None of this was own fault nor did he deserve to be used like this.

"...Sasuke, don't kill him. He's coming with us." Naruto said from out the blue.

Sasuke gaped at him incredulously, as though the blonde had just said the dumbest thing in the world. In Sasuke's opinion, he practically had.

"Take him with us? Naruto, have you completely lost your mind! This guy tried to kill you and the baby, and now you're asking me to spare him? He works for Orochimaru, Naruto! He's the _enemy_!" Sasuke exclaimed.

"That's only because he met the wrong person! We're only enemies because of the circumstances he was found under. He deserves a second chance!" Naruto shot back.

"He deserves death! You heard him say so his self!"

"Look, will you just give me a minute?"

"I don't fucking believe this! You know what? Whatever. You're on your own with this one."

Despite his anger and frustration, Sasuke backed off and allowed Naruto to have his time with Kimimaro, however pointless it was. Try and help the guy who tried to kill you? That was the most absurd thing Sasuke had ever heard of.

"Listen, Kimimaro, I know how you feel. Trust me, I went through the same pain as you did. I know what's like to want to have someone acknowledge and care about you. I understand the loneliness you went through as child, and while Orochimaru may have been the closest thing you had to a father figure, he isn't the man you think he is. He cares only about himself and his own goals. He treats peoples' lives like toys, playing with them and then throwing them way when he's done. You've been brainwashed your whole life. You mean absolutely nothing to Orochimaru. To him, you're just another pawn for him to throw away when he's finished. You may think you have a place in his heart, but you don't and you never did." Naruto explained in a calm, but firm voice.

At first, Kimimaro said nothing. Instead, he merely stared at Naruto with a blank stare, as though nothing the blonde said made any sense. Then, very slowly, Kimimaro's impassive face distorted into a look of pure anger. If looks could kill, Naruto would've keeled over right then and there.

"No, you're wrong! You don't understand anything about me at all! I _will _see the truth of this world, and Lord Orochimaru will show me! I am _not_ his pawn! My master understands me, he is the only one who has ever given my life meaning! But how could the likes of you ever understand that?" Kimimaro screamed in anger, showing true emotion for the first time.

"Now do you see, Naruto? There's no hope for this guy, he's past the point of no return. Now move aside, and let me finish this." Sasuke said as he stepped forward and raised his sword.

"I said no!" Naruto hollered as he shoved Sasuke back.

Naruto then bent down and attempted to help Kimimaro up. "C'mon, you're coming with us."

"Get your hands off of me! I would rather die than accept help from those who would dare oppose my master!" Kimimaro said angrily as he shoved Naruto back with what little strength he had.

"I'm trying to save you, damn it! Why can't you understand that Orochimaru doesn't care about you? What's it gonna take to make you see that?" Naruto asked, also a bit frustrated.

Before anyone could say anything else, all three warriors suddenly became aware of a large number of unknown chakra signatures making their way toward them. Everyone waited to see if these newcomers would be friend or foe. They didn't have to wait long, for a number of kunai were thrown their way from out of nowhere, forcing Naruto and Sasuke to back flip away from Kimimaro as the knives embedded themselves into the ground where the two once stood.

Several seconds later, both Naruto and Sasuke found themselves facing a large group of Sound ninja, all of them wearing ski masks with a music note engraved on their headbands, which were sewn onto the foreheads of their masks. The only visible part of their faces were their eyes, and they were all giving Naruto and Sasuke menacing looks.

"What the hell? Where did you guys come from?" Naruto asked.

"Who're you? Start identifying yourselves." Sasuke demanded.

After several moments of staring each other down, the larger of the Sound ninja stepped forward, obviously the captain of the large group. He looked between Naruto and Sasuke as though contemplating something before finally addressing the matter at hand.

"The one on the left, he is the one Lord Orochimaru is after. The Sharingan is a dead giveaway." the leader said, pointing a finger at Sasuke.

"What about the one with the blonde hair? What do we do with him?" asked his closest subordinate.

"I believe that one is the jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox. Just bring him along with us too. We'll let Lord Orochimaru decide what to do with him."

Naruto and Sasuke both visibly tensed as some of the Sound ninja advanced forward to apprehend them. Just as the two sides were about to engage each other in combat, they were stopped by another Sound subordinate.

"Wait! What about..._him_?" said a grunt soldier, pointing at Kimimaro.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot about him." The leader said before turning back to Sasuke and Naruto. "Excuse us for a moment. This bit requires our attention first."

Curiously, Sasuke and Naruto watched as the enemy seemed to forget about them completely, and instead rounded in on Kimimaro. At first, the pair thought these Sound shinobi had shown up to help Kimimaro. However, if that were the case why were they pulling out their swords?

"What is the meaning of this? What're are all of you doing here?" Kimimaro asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"We're here to complete our mission of retrieving the vessel for Lord Orochimaru's immortality jutsu." said one of the Sound ninja.

"What do you mean? This assignment was for my team and I." Kimimaro replied.

The Sound ninja around him chuckled darkly.

"No, I'm afraid you have that a bit twisted. Lord Orochimaru is fully aware of the deteriorating condition of your body, and he knows that you don't have much time left as it is. Lord Orochimaru needs that Uchiha's body in order to continue toward his goal, and he didn't wanna risk you dying and messing up his opportunity. That is why he sent us as a sort of 'insurance policy.' The antidote that Kabuto gave you was only meant to last a couple days, not a full week. If you weren't back in two days, we were to come and retrieve the vessel ourselves as you would be dead. If, by chance you were still alive, well..." the subordinate trailed off.

"What are you saying?" Kimimaro asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

"...If you were still alive by the time we got here, Lord Orochimaru instructed us to ambush you & your team, and then take the vessel ourselves. Get it? This mission was _ours _from the beginning. Lord Orochimaru sent you first, however, just to get you out of the way and hopefully lure Sasuke out into the open by the time we arrived, which you have. We are to retrieve the vessel at any cost, even if it meant invading Konoha again. Luckily, you saved us that trouble. However, you have now out lived your usefulness and must be done away with."

Kimimaro looked up at his assassins looking dumbstruck. "L..Lord...Orochimaru..._ordered _this?"

"Precisely. Seeing as how he can't use your body anyway, he figured he'd put your final moments to good use. This was set up since the very beginning. I'd say everything went as planned, wouldn't you, Kimimaro?"

All Kimimaro could do was continue to look dumbstruck, his mouth gaping open. This all seemed like a bad dream. Orochimaru had raised him since he was a small child, saving him from a life of intense loneliness, and now the man that he deified and worshiped had ordered his death at the snap of a fingers. This whole time, he'd been used just like...like a...a pawn in a game of chess. The blonde one had been right, Kimimaro realized that now. However, it was too late. He and his team were going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. "Betrayed" didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling at the moment. His life and all that he had done had meant nothing to Orochimaru, absolutely _nothing_...

"No...no! You can't do this to me!" Kimimaro protested. "Lord Orochimaru. . .how could you?"

Kimimaro's eyes widened as the Sound ninja around him raised their swords. "Heh, sayonara..."

Before any of them could bring their blades down, however, they were all blocked by Naruto, who seemed to appear from absolutely nowhere. Within mere moments of catching them all off guard, he cut them all down with his Chakra Knives before staring the others down defiantly with his Rinnegan afterwards. Alarmed, the other Sound ninja all jumped back, unnerved by what they'd just seen.

'_Lord Orochimaru really wasn't kidding about this kid's speed. Even I couldn't follow his movements__.' _The leader thought as his men murmured in hushed voices around him.

"You people are monsters, turning on one another the way you do! Well you're not hurting Kimimaro! I'm not gonna let you throw him away like some toy!" Naruto hollered in anger.

One the enemy ninja grunted and boldly rushed at Naruto, only to have his head sliced clean off by Sasuke in the blink of an eye. The poor bastard's head went bouncing along as his now headless body crumpled to the ground in a heap.

"Anybody else wanna be stupid?" Sasuke asked rhetorically as he and Naruto now both faced their enemy. He did not care about saving Kimimaro, however he wasn't going to let them hurt Naruto.

"Damn it, seize them!" the leader ordered angrily, pointing his finger forward.

At the command of their leader, the small army of Sound ninja rushed forward at Naruto and Sasuke, who also rushed forward to engage them all head on. Before they could actually clash, however, both sides stopped as a huge wave of sand erupted up in front of them. Naruto and Sasuke slid back downhill near Kimimaro as the wall of sand rose up and crashed onto the Sound ninja on the other side like a ton of weight.

"_Giant Sand Burial!" _yelled a loud, but cold voice, none other than that of Gaara.

The air was then filled with the anguished cries of the Sound ninja as the sand they were buried under imploded, liquefying their bodies under tons upon tons of pressure, blood spurting in all directions. As Naruto and Sasuke looked on in shock and confusion at what had just happened, their attention was then brought to a conflict involving the leader and another person. Instantly, the pair realized who it was, for the green jump suit was a dead giveaway.

"Is that Rock Lee? What the hell is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be injured?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah. I hate to admit, but after what Gaara did to him in the Preliminaries, I was sure Bushy Brows was done." Naruto agreed.

As the fight continued, it was mostly one-sided. Even though the Sound ninja leader was a Chunin, he was no match for Rock Lee's speed and agility. Before the guy even knew what had hit him, he was kicked into the air, turned upside down, and then pile-driven into the ground head first in the _Primary Lotus_. And that is how he stayed, his head buried under the ground and his neck crushed from the impact.

* * *

Kimimaro groaned as he attempted to sit up, but ended up plopping back down on the rocks underneath him, the dull edges of the stones digging uncomfortably into his back. He tried a few times more only to meet the same result as the first. Eventually, Kimimaro was forced to accept the fact that he simply wasn't going to be able to get up on his own. His strength was all but gone.

"Take it easy, Kimimaro. Don't try and push yourself." Naruto said as he gently propped Kimimaro's head up.

"...Why? After all that have I done and what I tried to do, why would you still save me?" Kimimaro asked.

"Everyone deserves a second chance. It's not your fault how your life turned out, and I don't blame you for anything. You're exactly like I was as a child: all alone. I know what it's like because I'm a jinchuriki. Only difference between us is that you were just found by the wrong person." Naruto replied.

Kimimaro's eyes widened in surprise as he stared up at Naruto. Even despite all that he had done, this boy showed no hostility toward him and instead was still willing to forgive him. In Otogakure, it had been survival of the fittest and every man for himself. This sort of unconditional kindness had never been known to Kimimaro, yet he welcomed it. Orochimaru had betrayed him, so now what purpose in life did he have? Maybe, just maybe, if he followed this boy, he could find a new answer to that question. It was rare that anyone received a second chance at life, and yet Kimimaro was being offered one, even though he did not feel he deserved it.

As Kimimaro was about to reply, however, he suddenly broke into a fit of uncontrollable coughing, spitting up a little blood as he did so.

"Kimimaro! What's the matter? Are you injured?" Naruto asked frantically. He did not know much about the human body, but he did know that coughing up blood usually meant there was some kind of internal injury.

"No, but I am very sick. I have been for some time now. Prior to coming to retrieve Sasuke, I was given an antidote by a man named Kabuto Yakushi. However, as it was mentioned earlier, it is already beginning to wear off. Despite your efforts, I'm afraid I am going to die here anyw-" that was all Kimimaro could get out before breaking into more coughing.

"Save your strength. As soon as we get back to Konoha, I'll have Grandma Tsunade fix you up good as new. You'll be back on your feet in no time." Naruto said reassuringly. This time Kimimaro did allow himself to be pulled onto Naruto's back piggyback style as the blonde rose to his feet with a grunt of effort.

After making sure he had a secure hold on Kimimaro, Naruto made his way to the edge of the clearing to meet up with Sasuke, Rock Lee, and Gaara.

"Naruto Uzumaki! It is good to see you again!" Rock Lee said enthusiastically as Naruto walked up.

"Glad to see you made a full recovery too, Bushy Brows." Naruto replied.

"Yes, my surgery was a success. A wonderful outcome, was it not? I am not quite at full strength yet, but I will get there with more training and burning passion!"

Naruto sweat dropped as Lee pumped a fist into the air, his eyes igniting into flames. However, at finally taking notice of the other presence, Lee looked over Naruto's shoulder and made eye contact with Kimimaro.

"Who is that on your back, Naruto-kun?" Lee asked with a confused look.

"This is Kimimaro. He used to work for Orochimaru, but that snake bastard betrayed him. So he's coming to Konoha with us." Naruto replied.

"Oh, I see. He is yet another victim of Orochimaru's evil. Well any friend of Naruto-kun is a friend of mine! Welcome to the team, Kimimaro-san!" Lee exclaimed happily, extending his hand in friendship.

A cricket could be heard chirping in the background as an awkward silence passed between them, Kimimaro merely staring at the appendage...

"...You're odd." he said, causing Lee to fall over anime style.

"I still cannot believe you're actually taking him back with us." Sasuke said with dissatisfaction.

"Well why not? Kimimaro is no different from you and I, and he deserves a second chance." Naruto reasoned.

"I beg to differ."

"No, Uzumaki is right." Gaara said with his usual impassive expression as Lee began to pick himself up. "When I look at Kimimaro, it reminds me of you, Uchiha. You may not see it, but you and him have the same eyes, seeking to prove the value of your own existence. You and Kimimaro are one in the same. He would do well to make a new life in Konoha with you and your friends."

Sasuke scowled at him. "Why the hell are you even here anyway? Shouldn't you be terrorizing Sunagakure or something?"

"My village owes a debt to Konoha for their involvement in Konoha's invasion. It's only a start, however we're working to improve relations between our two villages." Gaara explained, ignoring Sasuke's rude remark about his previous actions.

"Whatever. Lets just go find Shikamaru and the others already. We're wasting time standing around here."

Sasuke didn't wait for any further comments before he went leaping through the trees, the others having no choice but to follow or be left behind. They figured their best bet _would_ be to find Shikamaru first before rounding up all the others, as he was their squad leader for this mission.

Surprisingly, the group spoke not a word to each other as they traveled, as neither really had much to say. All that mattered was that they regroup with the others and make it back to Konoha in one piece. They could only hope the others had fared just as well. However, if the rest of Sound Ninja Five were anything like Kimimaro, they most likely had the fight of their lives.

"Naruto-kun, may I please make a request?" Kimimaro asked, breaking the silence.

"Huh? Oh, sure. What is it?" Naruto replied over his shoulder, happy that Kimimaro had added the -kun suffix to his name.

"If any members of my team happen to still be alive, would it be alright if we bring them with us?"

"You can't be serious." Sasuke said, looking back.

"I understand that you consider them the enemy, but they are still my teammates none the less. We were all mere pawns to Orochimaru and he has more than likely sent Sound ninja to attack them as well. If we can save them, I can use this betrayal to my advantage and convince them to switch sides. Please, they are the closest thing I have to a family and vice versa. Their skills would make great assets to Konoha in return for sparing their lives." Kimimaro explained.

"Sure." Naruto said firmly, glaring at Sasuke. "We'd be more than happy to."

Sasuke scowled and gave his usual "Hn" before turning his attention back to the front.

Eventually, the group did manage to meet back up with Shikamaru, who'd received assistance from Gaara's older sister, Temari. Just as Kimimaro had speculated, more Sound ninja had in fact arrived and had attempted to ambush Shikamaru and Tayuya. Luckily, Temari had arrived in the nick of time and used her _Summoning: Blade Dance _to not only slice the enemy ninja to pieces, but also level the surrounding forest.

Unfortunately, Tayuya ended up being caught up in it too. After some searching, the foul-mouthed girl was eventually found unconscious and buried under several large tree trunk parts. On the bright side, however, she was still alive.

With Tayuya secured in Sasuke's arms, the group traveled a ways more and eventually met up with Kiba & Akamaru, who'd receive help from Gaara's older brother, Kankuro. Needless to say, they weren't surprised to see a bunch of dead Sound ninja littering the area, as the trio had been ambushed while fighting Sakon & Ukon. Unfortunately, it was too late to save either of the brothers, for Kankuro had already killed them by the time the other enemy ninja had shown up.

After patching up Kiba & Akamaru's injuries as best they could, the group moved further through the forest before they eventually came upon Neji and Kidomaru. The group arrived just in time to witness the latter slaying the last Sound ninja before he eventually collapsed from pure exhaustion, barely alive due to his injuries. Neji himself lay motionless on the ground, a gaping hole going straight through his collar bone.

Kankuro and Temari begrudgingly ended up having to bring the two unconscious individuals along before the group was setting off again, moving closer toward Konoha. Along the way, they picked up Choji's unconscious form and discovered a clearing full of the bodies of dead Sound ninja, Jirobo being among them due to a fatal punch to the chest.

In the end, only two members of the Sound Ninja Five were saved (three counting Kimimaro), and the other members of Shikamaru's team were left severely injured. Despite the added weight and casualties, the team was able to walk through the gates of Konoha, their mission a success.

**That concludes this chapter. In the end, Kimimaro lived and so did a couple others. How will all this pan out? Stay tuned for the next chapter. Also, don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think.**

**(*)The Gatotsu is a sword technique from the anime Rurouni Kenshin, used by Saito Hajime. A picture of the Gatotsu stance can actually be found on Google. Click on Images and type in Gatotsu. It should be the first picture if they haven't changed it.**


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 53**

A week had passed since Shikamaru's Squad had returned from their mission to dispatch the Sound shinobi sent to escort Sasuke to Orochimaru. Of course, everyone expected there to possibly be severe casualties, which there were. What no one had counted on, however, was for the Nara Clan to pull through. Their medical encyclopedia proved vital in saving the lives of Choji, Neji, and Kiba, though especially Choji. Shikamaru's only injury was a broken finger, which he'd broken himself to wake himself up from a Genjutsu. All of the wounded, except for Kiba & Akamaru, were currently at the Konoha Medical Center, having spent the past week recovering from their injuries.

That morning found Sasuke and Naruto at their apartment, enjoying breakfast with _It's a Beautiful Morning _playing softly from the living room. Seeing as how there had been no other missions for them to undergo, the two had been making the most of their vacation time. Sasuke had used the opportunity to spend more time with Naruto, i.e. taking the blonde for a night out more frequently. He'd wanted to have sex, however Sasuke felt that doing that with Naruto while the blonde was pregnant was rather...awkward.

Speaking of pregnancy, Sasuke noticed that Naruto's tummy had gotten noticeably bigger in only a short amount of time. He'd figured Naruto's pregnancy would be different from a normal one with him being a jinchuriki, but he didn't expect the blonde to be moving along this fast. Perhaps Naruto's pregnancy was in terms of a fox rather than a human. If that were the case, their little bundle of joy would be here sooner than expected...

"So, have you felt any movement yet?" Sasuke asked a little out of the blue.

"Not really." Naruto said as he lifted up his shirt just enough to expose his protruding tummy. "I think it's still too early for that right now. I can feel its heart beating though. Other than that, it hasn't really kicked yet."

"You can actually feel the heart beat?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, I can feel the vibration through my body. It's practically in tempo with my own heartbeat." Naruto answered, gently rubbing his belly. "You wanna listen to it?"

Sasuke nodded and got down on one knee as Naruto turned toward him. Gently, Sasuke placed his ear against Naruto's tummy and listened, concentrating a little chakra to his ear to slightly amplify his hearing. After a few seconds, Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as he faintly heard the sound of his baby's heart beating. For the first time, Sasuke found himself putting thought to what it would look like, anxious for it to be born already.

Even though he'd never ever admit it, Sasuke was actually fascinated by every aspect of the concept of pregnancy. From conception to actual birth, he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that there was actually a person growing inside Naruto that he'd helped make. It truly was a miracle in on itself. Plus, Sasuke thought Naruto looked kinda sexy being pregnant. Again, these were private thoughts that would never be said aloud.

"...I can hear it. It's faint, but it's there." Sasuke said after inwardly basking in the thought of his child being born.

"Amazing, isn't it? I can't believe how fast it's growing. At this rate, it'll be here in no time." Naruto replied as Sasuke got up and sat down, though still kept his hand on the blonde's tummy.

"So what're you hoping for: boy or girl?" Naruto asked. "You can tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Sasuke shrugged. "Like I've said before, I don't really have a specific preference when it comes to gender. I'll be happy with whatever we get."

"I kind a feel the same way. I'll accept whatever we get, but I'm really hoping it's a girl. I've just always wanted to have a daughter. And I want her to have my eyes too." Naruto said as he placed his hand over Sasuke's affectionately.

"Well if it's a boy, it could have my hair and your eyes."

"Or maybe it could have your looks and my personality."

"No way. I'm not gonna have a dobe for a son."

"Well I'm not too keen on it being a loner either. And what makes you so sure it'll be boy?"

"Because..." Sasuke leaned in and placed a kiss on Naruto's lips. "it's my sperm that determines its gender. Therefore, if I were to say it's gonna be a boy, then it will be."

"It...doesn't...work...that...way...teme." Naruto said in between kisses as he returned the favor.

Momentarily forgetting their conversation, the two began to make out passionately as they became wrapped up in their actions. The whole time, Sasuke kept his hand on Naruto's belly while his other hand rested on the blonde's back, gently rubbing as his lover began to purr. Naruto's tongue had just been granted access when he suddenly jumped at the feeling of something bump within him.

For a few moments, the two simply looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what had just happened.

"You felt it too?" Sasuke asked as he took his hand off Naruto's belly.

"Yeah. It felt like something h-"

Naruto yelped as he was firmly bumped again, cutting him off in mid sentence and causing him to shoot up from his chair. Sasuke was alarmed instantly and moved to support him.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto didn't answer him right away. Instead, he continued to hold a hand to his belly as he felt something inside him sharply twitch. It took Naruto only a second to realize what it was. As he felt more movement, his face lit up and he drew in a breath from the sheer shock of the moment. Sasuke saw this and was puzzled.

"Sasuke, you have to feel this! It...it's moving! It's actually moving!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement, tears of joy welling up in his eyes.

He excitedly took Sasuke's hand and pressed it up against his rounding tummy. After a mere few seconds, the small life growing within Naruto kicked again, though much softer this time.

"There! Did you feel that?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke could only nod, almost unable to contain his own excitement at the fact that he was actually feeling his baby move. He may have still been having a few doubts about becoming a father, but moments like this was one of the driving forces that urged him on. For the next few minutes, the pair stood there in the kitchen, feeling their unborn child make its first movements and cherishing every second...

* * *

Elsewhere, at the Konoha Medical Center, Kimimaro currently had his own hands full trying to convince his only surviving teammates to accept the second chance they'd been given at life.

Kimimaro's surgery to remove the cancerous disease from his lungs had been successful, thanks to Tsunade's handiwork. The lung transplant he needed had a high percent chance of killing him, due to his body's weak condition upon being brought in, but he'd pulled through anyway despite the odds. As a favor for Naruto, Tsunade had also worked some of her medical expertise on Kidomaru and Tayuya, saving both of their lives as well. The small band had spent the past week recovering peacefully. However, when Kidomaru and Tayuya discovered where they were and the circumstances under why they had been saved, they were none too happy about it.

"Whether they spared our lives or not, these assholes are still the enemy and we shouldn't even be here right now. Call me crazy, but I say we were better off getting killed by own comrades." Tayuya argued.

"I fail to see your logic. This is a new chance for all three of us to start over, a new village for us to call home." Kimimaro replied.

"Honestly, Kimimaro, have you completely flipped your fucking lid? You were the main one who practically worshipped the very ground that snake asshole walked on, and now your suddenly saying we should stay in the village we've been bred to hate? I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but snap out of it and face reality. Don't you realize this village is never gotten accept us? We're nothing but outsiders to them. In fact, our very presence frightens and threatens them. There's no hope for us here, or anywhere! We have nothing, Kimimaro! I would rather die than go through this bullshit!" Tayuya explained, her voice rising with frustration.

"I never thought I would say this, but Tayuya is right." Kidomaru agreed. "This village has no place for people like us. We may have survived being kicked out of our own village, but now we've ended up in the hands of our most hated enemy. It's impossible for us to fit in here. As soon as they get done interrogating us, their gonna throw us in prison for the rest of our days. If we had of been taken in by a different village, then maybe we'd have a chance. Here, however, we might as well forget about acceptance entirely. I'm afraid this is where it ends for us. Game over."

As he listened to his comrades voice their reasons, Kimimaro had to admit that they had very valid points. If by some chance they were allowed to stay in the village, they would be ostracized and treated as outcasts by the villagers. Even though the physical damage had been repaired, Konoha still bore the emotional scars from the joint invasion by the Sound and Sand. Kimimaro and his team would certainly not be welcomed with open arms, but the white-haired boy was not willing to back down just yet.

"You're wrong. There is still hope for us yet." Kimimaro said.

Tayuya smacked her teeth. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"How can you still be opportunistic about this?" Kidomaru asked.

"Because our problem is no different than the one the jinchuriki of this village had to face."

Kidomaru and Tayuya looked at Kimimaro in confusion.

"The vessel of the Nine-Tailed Fox was also openly alienated and resented by the people of this village for most of his life. However, he was able to change the way everyone viewed him by being the best shinobi he could. He eventually did win everyone's respect when he saved the village from the attack of the Sand's jinchuriki. If he can do it, then so can we." Kimimaro reasoned.

"And how the hell do you know this?" Tayuya asked.

"Because he is the one who saved me when Orochimaru's hit squad arrived. He made all of this known to me as he and his comrades were bringing us to the village. You do have a point, however. This village will not be so easy to accept us, which is why we must _show_ them that we are capable of great good, despite how we have been brought up."

Kidomaru and Tayuya took a moment to actually think it over. Of course they would not be accepted right off the bat, but if the village's jinchuriki had been able to sway everyone's opinion, then maybe there really was hope for them yet. Even still, it was sort of a long shot and both were still a little skeptical of the idea.

"There's really no changing your mind about this, is there?" Tayuya asked.

"I'm afraid not, Tayuya. Second chances in life are rare, and I suggest we make the best of the one we have been given." Kimimaro replied.

"Well what do you suggest we do then? The village's jinchuriki saved this place from great evil, right? How are we supposed to accomplish something of that level?" Kidomaru asked.

"I already have something in mind. It will secure our place in this village as well as give us our revenge against Orochimaru. We're going t-"

Before Kimimaro could finish speaking, the door of their hospital room burst open as Tsunade herself walked into the room, a stethoscope around her neck and a brown clipboard in her hand.

"Don't mind me, just checking to see how your vital signs are up to this point. Oh, and good to see all of you are awake." Tsunade said as she went about checking their vital signs and scribbling on her clipboard. In all but several minutes, she was done. "Everything looks good. With any luck, you guys may be discharged sometime today."

"Lady Hokage, before you depart, would it be alright if my team and I made a request?" Kimimaro asked, ignoring the questioning looks his teammates were giving him.

Tsunade ceased scribbling on her clipboard and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"My team and I would like to request to have an audience with the Konoha Higher-ups." Kimimaro revealed.

"If it's about staying here, there's no need. You've already been given clearance. In fact, an apartment suite has already been picked out for you. You'll be on house arrest for a while, but you're all free to stay. You should thank Naruto whenever you have the chance. He actually convinced those senile bats." Tsunade explained.

"We shall thank him when the opportunity presents itself, however we request an audience for a different reason. In return for allowing us to stay within your village, we will disclose any information you seek regarding Orochimaru and Otogakure..."

* * *

_At the Amaguriama (Dango Shop)_...

"I still can't believe this. There's actually a baby in there...but you're a _boy_!" Tenten exclaimed, looking in disbelief at Naruto's protruding belly.

"Is it not wondrous, Tenten? Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are embarking on the path of parenthood. I can hardly contain my excitement just thinking about it!" Lee said, giddy with energy.

Tenten sighed and gave her boyfriend an exasperated look. "...Glad at least one of us is handling this okay."

A couple hours after that morning's events, Naruto and Sasuke had decided to have themselves a little outing, seeing as how they had nothing but free time on their hands. As they'd made their way through town, many of the villagers gave them curious looks upon noticing the way Naruto's belly protruded. Many wondered, but no one really bothered to ask, so they merely continued to cast glances and whisper comments whenever they could. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke really minded anyway.

Every now and again, the pair would stop so that Naruto could find somewhere private to empty his stomach whenever a wave of nausea would hit him. As they were passing by a nearby dango shop, Naruto's food cravings kicked in, and the blonde had suddenly found himself craving something sweet. Plus, Rock Lee and Tenten had taken up a table outside and Naruto had wanted to say hello.

Like the other villagers, Rock Lee and Tenten almost immediately noticed Naruto's baby bump upon the pair joining their table after ordering their snacks. At first, Sasuke had been tempted to simply tell them that Naruto was simply getting fat. However, after foreshadowing the disaster that was sure to come from Naruto taking offense at being called fat, Sasuke decided to flat out tell them about Naruto's pregnancy. That now brought them to where they now. Obviously, Lee was taking it better than Tenten, who still couldn't get around the fact that she was seeing a pregnant male.

"So, like, does anyone else know?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah. Grandma Tsunade knows, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Ino-chan, and Sakura-chan." Naruto replied.

"What about the gender? I must know: boy or girl?" Rock Lee asked.

"We don't yet. We want it to be a surprise."

"What about you, Sasuke? Are you excited about becoming a dad?" Tenten asked.

"Hn. It's alright." Sasuke replied non-enthusiastically, taking a bite of his dango.

'_Typical..._' Tenten thought with a sweat drop, hanging her head in exasperation.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped as the baby within him kicked sharply.

"Is it moving again?" Sasuke asked, receiving a nod in reply.

"Hold on a minute. I wanna feel it." Tenten said as she got up and made her way around the table to Naruto, gently placing her hand on his belly. After about a minute, the small life kicked again, right up under Tenten's hand.

"I felt it!" Tenten exclaimed in a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

"I know! Isn't it amazing?" Naruto agreed.

It took all of Sasuke's willpower not to roll his eyes at the scene. He didn't mind people touching Naruto's belly, but he hated how everyone had to go all goo goo over it. Secretly, however, Sasuke actually was interested in knowing exactly what he and Naruto were having. It was no fun having to refer to his unborn child as "it" all the time. Speaking of which, Naruto was due for another ultrasound soon and Sasuke was anxious on the inside to see what it looked like up till now.

Sasuke had just finished the rest of his dango when he suddenly felt his cell phone vibrating from within the pocket inside his shirt. Pulling it out, he saw that it was text message from Kakashi that read: **Yo. I'm back from my mission with Jinx, and figured I would stop by & see how you and Naruto were doing. Only...you're not at home. Where are you two?**

Sasuke was about to type in the name of the restaurant they were at when something else came to mind instead. Remembering the _thing _he needed to chat with Kakashi about, Sasuke replied with: **Come to the park. I need to talk to you.** before getting up from his seat.

"Sasuke? Where're you going?" Naruto asked as Sasuke laid some money on the table for a tip.

"I need to go to the park for a minute. Stay here with Lee and Tenten. If you need me, text me. Otherwise, I'll be right back." was all Sasuke said before walking away.

"What is wrong with Sasuke?" Rock Lee asked.

"Nothing. That's just his usual asshole/loner self. You get used to it when you have to live with him." Naruto replied nonchalantly. He easily brushed the situation off, but secretly wished the raven wasn't leaving on the inside.

The walk to Konoha Park was a relatively short one, for the park was a mere 15 minute walk from the dango shop Sasuke & Naruto had chosen to eat at. After arriving and finally choosing a spot, Sasuke sat down on a park bench and waited for Kakashi to show up. He hadn't bothered to tell Kakashi _where_ exactly meet him nor was it necessary. The Jonin would easily pick up where his chakra signature was.

After waiting for about 10 more minutes, Sasuke's silver-haired sensei finally appeared before him in a puff of smoke, his nose buried in the newest issue of _Make-Out Violence_.

"Yo." Kakashi greeted with a single wave, not even looking up from his book.

"Well this is unusual. You actually showed up at a reasonable time." Sasuke said.

"I can be on time when I wanna be. Besides, you sounded pretty urgent in your text, so I figured it wouldn't be best to keep you waiting." Kakashi replied before snapping his book closed, tucking it away, and taking a seat beside his subordinate with a sigh of relief. "So, what's on your mind?"

Starting from his fight with Kimimaro, Sasuke explained his near death experience and how the _Lightning Style Armor _had sprung to life of its own accord. As Kakashi listened, he couldn't help but smile underneath his mask. It seemed as though Sasuke had inadvertently finally learned the true meaning behind being taught that jutsu in the first place. Slowly, but surely, the raven was turning more and more from his original dark ways.

"It was so weird. Usually, the _Lightning Style Armor _drains my chakra the longer I keep it active. But when Kimimaro was coming at me, it did the exact opposite. The power it gave me was indescribable. I've never felt anything like that, not even from the Curse Mark. It felt...good, but I don't understand where it came from. I know I was out of chakra, but it surrounded me anyway and strengthened me. What does it mean?" Sasuke asked.

Rather than answer right away, Kakashi simply patted Sasuke on the back and smiled with his eye. "It means you've finally broken away from the path of darkness. Congrats, Sasuke."

Sasuke stared at the aloof Jonin with a confused expression. "...You lost me."

"You really don't understand, do you?" Kakashi asked before taking Sasuke's confused expression as a "no". "The reason why the _Lightning Style Armor _activated on it's own is because you fought to protect someone. It's a strange jutsu unlike any other in the sense that it reacts on the user's emotions. In the past, you mainly used it for the sole purpose of hurting somebody. Due to the negative emotions within your heart, it worked against you and drained your chakra the longer you had it active, acting as though it were a parasite."

Sasuke nodded in understanding, letting Kakashi know he understood thus far.

"During your fight with Kimimaro, however, you resolved to defend Naruto at any cost. At that moment, you finally ceased fighting to defend yourself, but instead to protect someone else close to you. Your desire to protect is what ignited the _Lightning Style Armor, _hence why it gave you strength rather than take it away. It can be a powerful jutsu, capable of giving the user power practically equal to that of the Hokage the longer it's active, but only when your heart is in the right place. You use it for the same reason I taught you the _Chidori_: to protect the bonds you have with others. Otherwise, you could never master it."

As Kakashi's words sunk in, Sasuke thought back to previous battles he and the rest of Squad 7 had been involved in. Now he truly understood what his father meant, the secret to how Naruto had been able to pull through all those times. This time, he'd experienced it for himself firsthand.

'_So that's how that dobe does it. I wonder if this is the same power Naruto felt all those times?' _Sasuke thought to himself.

"Speaking of someone to protect," Kakashi said, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts, "how's Naruto coming along? I haven't seen him that much since you guys got back from your mission against the Sound ninja.

"He's coming along fine, but something's a little..._off_ about it." Sasuke replied.

"As in...?" Kakashi trailed off, waiting for Sasuke to explain.

"He's growing at an alarming rate. It's been maybe two and half months, but he's already looking as though he's five months along. His bump is already harder to hide this early on. Is that even normal?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head as he pondered this for a moment.

"I suppose that would be a reason to voice concern, under normal circumstances anyway. However, every pregnancy is different and a jinchuriki is no exception."

"You sound as though you've seen this before."

"Oh, but I have. As a matter of fact, I remember Naruto's mother was pregnant with him for about ten months before she finally gave birth."

Sasuke's eyes widened at hearing this and his head snapped in the Jonin's direction. "How did you know Naruto's m-"

Sasuke was interrupted in mid sentence as Kleiver Fuma appeared before them in a puff of smoke, dressed in the navy blue Konoha uniform and green flak jacket. Kleiver stood up from his down-on-one-knee position and cracked his back as he rose to his full height. "I'm startin to think maybe I'm gettin too old for this line of work, eh?"

"This had better be good, Kleiver." Sasuke said in a warning tone.

"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" Kleiver asked in his gruff Australian accent. "Keh, like I give a damn. Anyway, I suggest you blokes get ready to move out. We're all going on a little trip, you see?"

"Not interested. Go piss off somebody else." Sasuke replied sharply.

"I have to agree with Sasuke on this, though maybe not in so sharp a tongue." Kakashi agreed, pulling out his book and picking up where he left off. "I just got back from a mission and I'm rather tired at the moment.

"And if I said we were paying a little visit to Otogakure to eliminate Orochimaru and his brood, would that pique your interest?" Kleiver asked.

In an instant, Sasuke perked up, his annoyance vanishing altogether, and Kakashi snapped his book closed at that bit of information. Both men now gave Kleiver their full, undivided attention.

"Heh, figured that would get your attention." Kleiver said before sporting a toothy grin...

* * *

_Four and a half hours later..._

Sasuke bounded through the forest along with Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, Might Guy, and numerous other Jonin and Chunin, including the Fuma Clan, as the Konoha Military set off toward the Village Hidden in Sound, moving as silently as they could. Ahead of them, Kimimaro, Kidomaru, and Tayuya lead the way as they prepared to take down the place they had once called home.

It took a lot of soul searching and internal conflict within themselves, but Kidomaru and Tayuya had decided to to side with Kimimaro on the decision to join Konohagakure, the very village they had been taught to despise for so many years. They still weren't completely keen on the idea of helping the "enemy", but they were itching for revenge, and this was the perfect opportunity to redeem themselves for their past deeds and seek vengeance all in one.

Though it wasn't exactly an easy task, Tsunade had been able to honor their request and granted them an audience with the Konoha Council and Interrogation Corp. With their minds firmly made up, Kimimaro and his team fully and voluntarily divulged all information regarding Orochimaru and Otogakure. As it turned out, Otogakure was not really a village at all, but a series of hideouts and bases scattered throughout the Land of Sound and other countries. Neither Kimimaro nor Tayuya nor Kidomaru withheld any information. Everything was explained and revealed down to the last detail, including the most crucial piece of data: Orochimaru's exact location.

According to Kimimaro and his team, Orochimaru was hiding out in a base straddling the line between the Land of Fire and the Land of Sound. Using a map, Kimimaro pointed out the spot where the entrance to the base was in only a matter of seconds and volunteered to personally lead the Konoha Military force there.

Hence, here they were now, on their way to take down their most hated foe. Jiraiya had already been contacted and was currently awaiting their arrival at a secure location not far from the base. All they had to do now was get there and rendezvous.

Needless to say, the other members of Shikamaru's squad were not able to make it this time. Choji was still in the hospital recovering from losing over half his body weight after consuming all three of his clan's **(1)**colored pills in order to kill Jirobo. Luckily, Ino was looking after him and making sure he didn't over-indulge himself on the road to recovery.

Kiba & Akamaru had been cleared to go home some time ago, for their wounds were not as bad. Although, they were still required to remain bed-ridden for the next several days.

Neji, however, had to have his entire collarbone repaired after sacrificing his body in order to get in critical hits against Kidomaru. He was currently still in the hospital and slowly making progress in physical therapy with Shikamaru's help. It tore the lazy genius apart to have to leave Neji's side, but the mission required his brilliant strategic thinking and he had to put the village first above all else.

'_This is it. We're finally gonna take that snake bastard down once and for all. I'm gonna snap him like a twig as soon as I get my hands on him!' _Sasuke angrily thought to himself as he picked up a little more speed.

Kakashi glanced over at Sasuke as the Uchiha became visible in his peripheral vision. Already, he could feel the anger coming off the Uchiha in waves, growing stronger with each passing second. It was easy to guess the raven was worked up about finally getting his hands on Orochimaru, as were the rest of them.

However, Kakashi knew all too well how Sasuke could swayed by his anger. If something wasn't done to calm him down, Sasuke was sure to burst into Otogakure and attempt to bring Orochimaru in himself. With anger issues such as his, it was no wonder Itachi was able to beat him so easily. Sasuke tended to do less thinking when he was pissed off, which was always bad in any situation.

"Calm down, Sasuke. You'll have your chance when we get there." Kakashi said as his star pupil caught up to him.

"I am calm." Sasuke replied indifferently.

"Your exuding an ominous aura right now, whether you're aware of that or not. I know you're anxious about finally getting a shot at Orochimaru, but don't go doing anything foolish like fighting him by yourself. We'll do it together, alright? Now try and calm down before you give away our approach."

Sasuke cast his teacher an expressionless glare, but worked to put himself at ease nonetheless. Regardless of what Kakashi said, Sasuke had already decided ahead of time that Orochimaru was his and his alone. After all, he was the one Orochimaru wanted most. Therefore, it was only fitting that Sasuke face him one-on-one, just as he had with Kimimaro.

Surprisingly, eliminating one less threat to his village and unborn child was only the second reason behind Sasuke's decisive choice. His primary goal was to pay the bastard back for what he did to the Third Hokage. His grandfather figure was finally going to be avenged...

* * *

The steady _sloshing_ sound of the washing machine was the only sound that could be heard throughout the silent apartment. Naruto sat crosslegged on the couch, wearing only a black T-shirt and denim shorts, as he tapped into his subconscious, the silence making it easier for him to concentrate.

After Sasuke and Kakashi had stopped by just long enough to fill him in on what was going on, Naruto had immediately gone to Tsunade and had begged her to let him go on the mission. Unfortunately, he was firmly told no and no room was left for argument.

Due to his rapidly progressing pregnancy, Tsunade had given the blonde strict orders to remain inside the village until his child was born. Now when it came to protecting his village and the people he cared about, Naruto would've simply disregarded all logic & reason and done the exact opposite of what he'd just been told to do. This time, however, it concerned the safety of his baby and Naruto wasn't about to put his child at risk.

Then again, his belly wasn't the only thing that prevented Naruto from "moving like he used". Naruto had recently begun to notice that it was becoming increasing harder for him to focus his chakra properly. It was almost as if something was disturbing his normal flow. Naruto guessed that it probably had something to do with his pregnancy, though he wasn't quite sure how.

In any case, after being barred from his line of work until he gave birth, Naruto had no other choice but to return home. Sasuke had already packed and left by the time he'd gotten there, so Naruto ended up having the house to himself until the raven returned. He'd resolved to doing housework to keep himself occupied, but that could only last for so long.

When there was nothing left that needed doing or cleaning, the Kyuubi vessel decided to look into his sudden loss of control over his chakra, as well as find the answer to another question that had just recently begun to nag at his curiosity. With his child slightly moving within his belly, Naruto tapped into his subconscious mind, knowing just the right person, or _demon_, he needed to speak to if he were to put his curiosity to rest.

The Nine-Tailed Fox itself had been sleeping soundly within its cage when Naruto suddenly appeared just outside the bars. Upon sensing the presence of his container, its blood-red eyes snapped open to glare at Naruto, the blonde being able to see his reflection in the demon's vertical slit pupils. Even without the glare, the waves of anger and malice exuding from it was a dead giveaway that the demonic kitsune was not happy to see Naruto in the slightest.

"**You had better have a good reason for disturbing my rest yet again, _Naruto_.**" The Kyuubi growled, spitting out its vessel's name as though it left a bitter aftertaste.

"Believe me, I wouldn't talk to you unless I absolutely had to." Naruto retorted back. "I'm here because I need answers only you can give me."

"**I should crush you right now for speaking to me like that! Damn these accursed bars!**" The Kyuubi then punched the bars of its cage out of pure anger, though somehow doing no damage. Despite the show of power, Naruto remained unnerved and continued to glare up at the demon fox. Even despite its irritation, the Kyuubi decided to hear his vessel out, just to make him go away faster. "**Speak, human, before I lose my patience further****."**

"First, I wanna know why my pregnancy is moving along so rapidly. There's nothing wrong with the baby, is there?"

It took all of the Kyuubi's will power not to roll its eyes at the question. With it being a demon, it could never understand why humans felt the need to show so much concern when it wasn't necessary. That was just one of those concepts that would be forever lost to it.

"**Nothing is wrong with the baby, Naruto. You pregnancy will be unlike any normal one because you are a jinchuriki. Even without my chakra, your chakra reserves are abnormally large as it is. As a result, your pregnancy is moving along at a much faster rate than a normal person's. That wretched Uchiha's offspring should be here in a couple months, give or take. The sooner the better. Just the thought of sharing this body with that Uchiha's brat makes my skin crawl."**

"Shut up and deal with deal with it you stupid fox. Besides, if you really hated it you would've killed it by now."

The Kyuubi growled and attempted to strike at Naruto, only to be held back by the bars of its cage once again. It hated being contradicted. "**Damn you! Ask your questions and leave me be!**"

"Alright, one more question. Tell me why I can't focus my chakra and I'll leave you alone."

The Kyuubi merely stared at Naruto in annoyance. Such a question would've been worth the Nine-Tailed Fox slapping a hand to its face. To do so, however, would've been too human-like for its liking.

"**You're kidding. You can't even figure that out by yourself?**"

"Just answer my question or else I'm gonna keep pestering you with more!"

The demon fox growled at being threatened by a mere human, but answered Naruto's question anyway, for he _really _wanted the blonde gone right about now. "**You cannot control your chakra properly because you are pregnant. Your chakra is now being divided between keeping your seal in place and supporting your child. The bigger your child grows, the more chakra it requires to support it. There is no longer enough for you to use for your various jutsu. At this point in your pregnancy, you are now practically defenseless. It would not be in your best interest to wander outside the village.**"

Naruto sighed as he rested a hand on his tummy. It looked as if the next couple months were to be boring, not to mention stress filled with his due date coming much sooner than expected. He was glad to be pregnant and all, wouldn't trade it for anything in the world if he could, but he really wished he could just have this baby already.

One of the things Naruto hated most was being confined, he had to move around at least a little. Being kept within walls made him feel like...well...like a caged animal. Then again, if it concerned the safety of his baby, he'd simply have to deal with it. For now, at least...

"**Looks like both have to deal with something we don't like.**" the Kyuubi said, reading Naruto's negative emotions at the thought of being confined to the village. "**Now, if you have no further questions, leave me in p-**"

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

Naruto was snapped back to the real world by a series of loud knocks at his front door. "Wonder who that could be?"

Puzzled, Naruto slipped on his open-toed sandals before going to unlock the door as the loud knocking continued. "I heard you the first several times, damn it!"

Cussing and angrily muttering under his breath, Naruto finally unlocked the door and pulled it open. Seeing who it was on the other side made Naruto's entire body freeze as it was gripped by pure fear. Here he was, confined to the village to avoid danger, yet danger had come to him, and in the form of the one person he least expected let alone wanted to run into alone.

It was Itachi...

**Finally got this chapter done! With graduation fast approaching and all these scholarships to fill out, this first time I've had time to write in a while. Anyway, find out Itachi's reason for his sudden arrival in the next chapter. Leave a review and tell me what you think.**

**(1) The Three Colored Pills are secret medicine used in the Akimichi Clan. As the name suggests, there are three pills, each a different color. First is the green Spinach Pill, next is the yellow Curry Pill, and last is the red Chili Pill. By forcibly converting the body's fat reserves into chakra, each successive pill ingested gives a tremendous power boost. The Chilli Pill is even said to increase one's power a hundred times. However, the pills have a drawback. Each pill damages the body, poisoning it, and since the third pill converts all of one's fat reserves, the user will become dangerously emaciated. It is said that after the third pill, death is imminent. **


	54. Chapter 54

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters in this story**

**More Than Just Comrades**

**Chapter 54**

Naruto stayed rooted to the spot as he stared up in open mouth horror at his lover's murderous older brother. Even despite the intensity with which those cold Sharingan eyes stared down at him, the pregnant jinchuriki found himself yet again unable to look away. Like before, it were as if those eyes had him hypnotized, the way they seemed to bore their way into his very core in a way words could not describe.

Even though his mind screamed at him to slam the door and hide somewhere, Naruto's body refused to cooperate, his legs visibly trembling. Everything else around him seemed to blur out of existence as he became transfixed on that all too familiar Sharingan pattern. For what seemed like hours, but really only a few moments, Itachi and Naruto merely stared at one another in silence, the latter not even noticing that he was holding his breath in anticipation for the worst.

'_T-This guy again__? It can't be! What the hell is he..._'_  
_

"Naruto-kun," Itachi spoke, causing Naruto to visibly jump as he was torn from his thoughts, "I need to have a word with you for a moment."

As Itachi took a step forward to come inside, sudden shock caused Naruto's body to go into autopilot, and he found himself quickly slamming the door and locking it in place without actually being aware of doing the action.

With his hand still on the top lock, Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding in rapid pants as he attempted to calm himself, though the effort was practically futile. Fear had his mind, thoughts, and heart going a mile a second, and his hand shook as he struggled to let go of the lock, afraid that Itachi would somehow unlock it from the outside if he let go.

Of all the times for Itachi to suddenly show his face again, why did it have to be now? It was obvious that he'd been watching his brother and Naruto all this time, calculating his next strike for when Naruto would be most vulnerable. His only means of survival would be to escape, which was easier said than done considering he was on the top floor of his apartment. Either way, if he could at least make it outside, he would be a little safer. Itachi wouldn't come after him out in the open.

As he turned and prepared to make a run for the sliding screen door that led out to the patio, Naruto let out an "Oh!" of surprise as Itachi materialized in front of him in a murder of crows, having flown in from the open window above the kitchen sink.

Gripped with fear, Naruto hurriedly unlocked the top lock and attempted to escape out the front door. Unfortunately, Itachi was faster. With a burst of speed, Itachi easily rushed forward and pulled Naruto back in, slamming the door back closed.

"Get off of me! Get your hands the fuck off me!" Naruto yelled as he punched, scratched, and kicked, struggling for his very life. His very skin crawled from being locked in Itachi's cold grip, which might as well have been the _grip of death _as far as Naruto was concerned.

Due to his pregnant condition, Naruto knew that he had no chance of winning, but he would fight anyway to his last breath for the sake of his child. Even if Itachi did take him away, he would do everything in his power to draw blood. If anyone came looking for him, they would see the blood, realize he'd been attacked, and go for help. At least then he'd have a chance to be found...or at least his body.

Itachi, meanwhile, struggled to hold onto the struggling jinchuriki in his grip, at the same time being mindful not to put too much pressure on the boy's protruding belly. He knew he had to resolve this situation quickly, for Naruto's struggling was going to put both himself and the baby in harm's way. If Naruto miscarried, all of this would've been for nothing and Itachi would never be able to forgive himself.

He'd wanted to settle this in a matter which didn't involve having to use force, but when Naruto began to scream for help as loud as he possibly could, Itachi knew he had no other option. He had to gain control of this situation before it grew even more out of hand, and fast, lest Naruto's screaming draw unwanted attention.

As he turned in Itachi's grip in an attempt to spit in the elder Uchiha's face, Naruto made brief eye contact with his attacker, though that brief moment was all Itachi needed. In an instant, Naruto found himself trapped in Itachi's ocular Genjutsu induced from looking directly into the Sharingan_. _The world around him quickly blurred into nothing more than a red void, nothingness surrounding him on all sides.

Suddenly, Naruto felt his body being impaled all over by numerous black feathers. He did not feel any pain, but he could feel the sensations as they penetrated his body like a pin cushion. Back in the real world, Naruto ceased fighting as he felt almost all of his strength just suddenly leave him. Muttering Sasuke's name one last time in a last ditch cry for help, Naruto succumbed to his exhaustion and passed out...

Almost an hour later, Naruto finally awoke feeling groggy, as though he'd gotten too much sleep.

'_Damn, how long have I been asleep? My body feels like I've been sleeping on a rock or something.' _Naruto thought to himself drowsily. He yawned and attempted to stretch his cramped muscles, but found that he couldn't. After looking down and taking stock of himself, Naruto instantly saw why. For starters, he was still in his apartment, on his couch more specifically, but both his wrists and ankles were tied together with two thick pieces of rope. '_What the fuck?_'

"Glad you're finally awake, Naruto-kun." said a voice adjacent to him.

Looking over, Naruto's breath lodged itself in his throat when he saw who the voice belonged to. Itachi Uchiha sat properly upright on the couch adjacent to him, as though he'd been waiting patiently for Naruto to wake up. "I'm sorry, but I had to tie you up. You were making quite a commotion and I doubt you'd listen to me otherwise."

Naruto said nothing, instead opting to just stare back at Itachi with fear evident in his eyes. He considered screaming for help again, but second guessed it in fear of Itachi slitting his throat or breaking his neck. As his fear began to mount even more, Naruto began to shake uncontrollably. Being this close to Itachi was so uncomfortable, Naruto couldn't stand it. He had to get away...somehow.

"Naruto-kun?" Itachi said questioningly, concerned at Naruto's shaking.

"...Why?" Naruto asked as his tears began to flow like a waterfall. "Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave Sasuke and I alone? What do you want from us?"

Instead of answering immediately, Itachi merely stared back at Naruto for a moment before rising to his feet. Slowly, he began to make his over to Naruto, his hand reaching out. As Itachi came closer, Naruto began to hyperventilate involuntarily, on the verge of peeing on himself in fear. Completely helpless, Naruto clenched his eyes and waited for his life to be ended. Instead of a cold hand choking the life out him, however, Naruto was completely taken aback when he felt a soft tissue dabbing gently at his face. After drying Naruto's tears, Itachi retook his place on the adjacent couch and waited for Naruto's breathing to return to normal before finally speaking.

"As I tried to explain earlier, I only wish to speak with you, Naruto-kun. I am not here to cause you or your child harm." Itachi said, placing the damp tissue on the coffee table.

Puzzled, Naruto shifted uncomfortably on the couch, curling his toes into the carpet. Much like during his first encounter with Sasuke's older brother, he couldn't help but have this odd feeling that Itachi was being sincere and really posed no threat to him. Even still, that certainly didn't mean he trusted the elder Uchiha in any way.

"So then...you aren't going to kill me or take me back to your organization?" Naruto asked meekly.

"No. If I were going to kill you, I would've already done it by now. And if I were going to take you back to the Akatsuki, we'd already be on our way." Itachi reasoned.

Realizing that Itachi made some very valid points, Naruto's fear eased itself slightly. It was safe to conclude that Itachi really wasn't going to hurt him, but that still didn't excuse the fact that the elder Uchiha was a madman who murdered his innocent family all for the sake of testing his own ability. No matter how harmless Itachi appeared to be on the surface, Naruto kept in mind that it was all an act. He knew what Itachi was capable of. The one thing he didn't understand, however, was how someone capable of doing something so evil could act so...human and caring.

Itachi's personality didn't match the character of a serial killer at all. It puzzled Naruto so much to the point where he actually found himself curious. If Itachi wasn't here to kill or kidnap him, then he wasn't really evil...right? No, he had to be in order for him to murder everyone close to him. However, both his current and previous actions from their original encounter spoke otherwise. Furthermore, Itachi didn't seem threatening at all. In fact, the air around him was...actually rather friendly.

"I don't understand you." Naruto finally said after going over the enigma that was Itachi. "I know I'm supposed to hate you for what you did to your clan, but...you don't seem...evil at all. I'm just so confused. What exactly are you?"

Itachi remained silent and briefly looked away before he spoke. "...That's what I'm here to talk about, Naruto-kun. It's true that I did slaughter my family overnight, but there is more to the story than people know."

"...Well do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Do you really not like Sasuke at all? Is that why you took everything from him?"

Again, Itachi took a moment before answering as he appeared to get lost in thought. Then, unexpectedly, Itachi...smiled. "I could never hate Sasuke. I love my younger brother."

"See! That right there is exactly what I'm getting at!" Naruto exclaimed in frustration. "How can you claim you love your little brother when your murdered your own parents? That's the most fucked way I've ever heard of someone showing love for somebody."

"...I did it in order to protect him, Naruto-kun. The termination of my clan was the mission assigned to me by the Konoha Elders." Itachi revealed.

That bit of information made Naruto perk up. "Wait, what? That's a lie. The Konoha Elders would never order someone to do something so heinous!"

Itachi sighed. "My story is long, Naruto-kun, but I can assure you that it is the truth. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here speaking to you."

Naruto scoffed. "Alright, point taken. But you expect me to just believe anything you say? Seeing as how you've lied to Sasuke for all these years, I'm really not sure I can trust you."

"That is a reasonable point, Naruto-kun. The only thing you know about me is that I am a murderer, so I don't expect you to trust me so willingly. Whether or not you believe anything I say is up to you, but if you'd like answers, then the least you can do is hear me out until the end."

Naruto pondered it in his head, mentally fighting with himself. A part of him told him not believe a word that came out of Itachi's mouth, seeing as how he easily deceived his clan and Sasuke. What was to stop him from deceiving Naruto now? On the other hand, the other half of him was actually interested in hearing Itachi's story. There was just something about Itachi that intrigued Naruto. Even though what he did was unforgivable, Itachi's character just didn't fit with the persona of a psychopath. Furthermore, even though Itachi claimed to have murdered his clan for his own sake, his actions spoke otherwise. He'd had two opportunities to kill Naruto as Sasuke suggested he would more than likely do, and both times he hadn't. Maybe there actually was more to Itachi than meets the eye, more than anyone could ever imagine. There was only one way to find out...

"Fine. Then speak" Naruto said, firmly making up his mind.

Itachi gave a single nod. "In order for me to tell you about the night of the massacre, I must first inform you of the past in order for you to understand how everything escalated to that point, including the rivalry between the Uchiha & Senju Clan and the founding of Konohagakure. Since I have only a limited time before Sasuke returns, I will answer any questions you may have afterward. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded.

Itachi let out a deep breath before continuing. It was going to be a long tale, but it had to be told. It was imperative that he relay this information to Naruto for the sake of his little brother. "The story begins about eighty years ago, during an era of warring states..."

* * *

_Meanwhile, 4 and half hours elsewhere..._

Sasuke sat by himself on a thick tree branch that was high enough to overlook the horizon. Below him were his comrades, resting in small groups scattered here and there in a small radius. The Land of Sound was still several hours away, but the small platoon had been traveling for nearly 4 and half hours straight and needed to rest. No point in being exhausted by the time they reached the enemy.

While his comrades took the time to have a snack and catch a breather, Sasuke contemplated simply moving on by himself. Sitting around resting was just wasting valuable time, time that could be spent moving closer to their destination. Though he outwardly kept his composure, the burning anger and anxiety made it almost impossible to sit still. Simply the thought of facing Orochimaru again had Sasuke subconsciously bringing a hand to the spot on his neck that sported the Curse Mark.

'_I'm going to enjoy making you suffer, you bastard.' _Sasuke thought to himself as he tightened his grip on the Curse Mark, a burning sensation beginning to radiate from the spot. The burning pain had long ceased to faze him, but looking out over the horizon and knowing that he was closing in on the root of his pain seemed to make the burning intensify with his anxiousness.

Truth be told, even if it didn't bother him all that much anymore, the burning was beginning to piss him off and he wanted it to stop _for good_. He wanted to get this mission over with as soon as possible so he could go back home to his Naruto, who was no doubt waiting patiently for his return back at their apartment. Leaving Naruto on his own, especially at this hour, tore at his nerves till finally he couldn't stand it anymore. Sasuke decided he was going to go on ahead after all. Things simply weren't going fast enough for his liking, and the others could simply catch up when they were done bitching around.

Strapping his sword to his waist as he stood up, Sasuke had just prepared to bound off when he felt a hand on his shoulder, using all of his willpower not to jump at the sudden contact. Looking to his right, Sasuke saw that it was none other than his silver-haired father figure.

"Well now, aren't we a little impatient?" Kakashi reprimanded.

"Hn. Mind your own business." Sasuke replied, shrugging Kakashi's hand off his shoulder.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say some of Naruto's tendencies have begun to rub off you. You're usually more collected than this."

"Don't compare me to that dobe. I'm not about to let Orochimaru slip away simply because our men are too weak to persevere. Besides, I wasn't actually gonna rush in, just meet you when you caught up. I don't like sitting around. Every minute gives him the chance to escape right out from under us."

Kakashi chuckled softly. "There's no need to worry about that happening. Master Jiraiya is monitoring surveillance on the hideout Orochimaru is currently using. If he makes a move, we'll know about it. Now, do your best to relax. Trust me, you'll be with Naruto again in no time."

Sasuke ground his teeth together as he was powerless to stop the blush creeping across his face, instead settling for folding his arms within his sleeves. If there was one thing he hated about Kakashi, it was the way the Jonin was able to read his body language so perfectly, even when others saw his behavior as nothing out of the ordinary. While the uncanny ability greatly intrigued Sasuke at times, it also greatly aggravated him. Now was definitely one of those latter moments.

"I wish you'd stop doing that." Sasuke ground out, glaring at Kakashi.

"It's no big deal, Sasuke. If it makes you feel any better, I'm just as anxious to get back to Iruka." Kakashi replied, smiling with his visible eye.

"Like I care about your personal feelings. Just remember that when we get there, Orochimaru is mine."

Sasuke then crouched and leaned up against the tree to relax before it was time to head off soon.

"Have it your way, so long as you don't do anything too crazy." Kakashi said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke replied with his usual "Hn" before closing his eyes and drifting off into his own little world, foreshadowing the battle to come in his head.

After about another hour of allowing everyone to regain their strength, the platoon was off again toward Otogakure. During the remainder of the trip, no one really said much of anything. Half of it was because no one really had anything to say, but mostly it was to keep the noise to a minimum in case there were enemy Sound shinobi nearby.

Half an hour into the resumption of their journey, Kimimaro noticed something peculiar. What looked to be a giant green toad was staring at them from a branch up ahead. Normally, one would not see anything unusual about this. However, Kimimaro wasn't naive. He suddenly had the feeling that this was no ordinary toad. With a wave of his hand, he silently commanded the platoon to come to a halt.

"What is it? Why did we stop?" Asuma asked as he came to land in between Kimimaro and his small group.

"It's that toad. Something isn't right." Kimimaro replied as he extended a bone spike from the palm of his hand.

Before Kimimaro could actually mount an attack, the toad opened its mouth and allowed a hand to emerge from within. A few seconds later, Jiraiya stood before them, having emerged completely from the toad's mouth.

"Easy there, tiger. I assure you I'm on your side." the white-haired Sannin said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. Realizing there was no danger, Kimimaro retracted his bone spike and lowered his guard. Apparently, this was the man they were supposed to meet.

'_Hn, interesting jutsu he's got there.' _Tayuya thought to herself.

"It's been a while, Master Jiraiya." Kurenai said with a bow. "Do you have any intel regarding the enemy?"

All jokes now aside, Jiraiya dropped his hands to his sides and his joking exterior suddenly become very serious.

"Well, to make a long story short, infiltration is certainly not gonna be a cakewalk. The entrance to Otogakure is just ahead, however the entire perimeter is heavily guarded by enemy Sound shinobi, almost all of which are of Jonin rank. Even if we do manage to get past the enemy shinobi, the actual entrance to Otogakure is fortified by a chakra-lock mechanism that would take hours to unlock without a special code. On the bright side, however, we can at least officially say we've found Orochimaru."

"Just leave that door to me." Kidomaru said with a knowing smirk. "That mechanism is a bitch to unlock manually, but a little brute force will blow that baby apart as though it were made of rice paper. Only thing is, it's gonna make a lot of noise, so we can kiss the element of surprise goodbye."

"I'm afraid that's not gonna work out just yet." Shikamaru said after landing on a nearby branch.

"I don't remember anybody asking your lazy-ass for your opinion on the situation." Tayuya snapped.

"On the contrary, I actually do have a say-so, being a Chunin Officer and all." Shikamaru replied, slightly annoyed at Tayuya's unnecessary aggression. '_Give me a break already. Sure my mom might be a real pain, but__ she's got nothing on this bitch. Hats off to the poor bastard who has to deal with this piece of work...'_

"What were you gonna say, Shikamaru?" Asuma asked.

"Well, I figured since there are enemy shinobi on the outside, it's safe to conclude that there enemies on the inside as well. I mean, I highly doubt Orochimaru would be alone down there. If we make a big commotion now, we'd have to deal with the ones both on top and bottom. I think it'd be best if we take out the ones guarding the perimeter first and make it a little easier for ourselves, rather than just go in guns blazing. Otherwise, dealing with that many enemy shinobi is gonna be a real drag."

A moment of silence passed as everyone considered Shikamaru's words.

"He has a valid point. The base up ahead is relatively smaller compared to the others, however it is still likely that there are more of them below ground than above. Even with our army, a combined force may still be too much for us to handle." Kimimaro agreed.

"And just how exactly do you suggest we locate the enemy positions?" Sasuke asked. "It would take us hours to search the entire area for them."

"My "little friends" and I can handle that as well." Kidomaru replied. "Just tell me the game strategy, and I'll get right on it."

Shikamaru thought for moment before squatting down, putting his fingers together to make a circle, and closing his eyes, a habit that everyone, except the Sound Ninja 3, had become all too familiar with.

"What the hell is he doing?" Tayuya asked, only to be sharply nudged by Kimimaro to be quiet.

After only several minutes, Shikamaru opened his eyes and let out a bored, exasperated sigh as members of their platoon began to gather round. "Alright, people, here's the plan..."

* * *

_15 minutes later..._

Kidomaru cracked his knuckles before creating a bed of webbing between his middle pair of hands. He then bit his right thumb and went through the correct sequence of hand signs before slamming the palm of his hand on the bed of webbing.

"_Summoning Jutsu: Kyodaigumo!_"

As Kidomaru's hand made contact, his entire body was suddenly engulfed by an enormous puff of smoke. A few seconds later, the smoke cleared to reveal a gigantic black tarantula with orange stripes going down the back of its abdomen, with Kidomaru safely on top of it.

Without even having to be told what to do, the giant spider known as _Kyodaigumo _quickly released a large egg sac, though still attached to its abdomen. With a devious grin, Kidomaru pulled out a kunai knife and swiftly cut the egg sac open, releasing the contents inside.

"Go, my minions! Pick up the scent of our enemies and show us the way!" Kidomaru commanded as hundreds of spiders the size of small dogs emerged from the egg sack. Within minutes, the arachnid offspring picked up the scent of the surrounding Sound shinobi and sped off in their respective directions.

"That would be our cue. Team 1, let's move out!" Errol said before following the trail of the closest spider.

Under his command, the rest of Team 1, which consisted of the rest of the Fuma Clan and roughly half the platoon, each picked out and followed a path set by one of the numerous spiders. Their mission as Team 1 was to follow the spiders to the locations of the enemy shinobi and take them out as quick and quietly as possible.

Staying on the heels of his own spider, it took Errol only 10 minutes of traveling before he came upon a pair of Sound shinobi in a nearby tree. Forming his iron sand into a spear, Errol quickly impaled one through the chest, catching the other by surprise as he watched his comrade fall dead to the forest floor below. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Errol swiftly came up behind him and slit the bastard's throat before following his spider to the next pair of targets.

Elsewhere throughout the forest, the same thing was taking place. With the spiders acting as bloodhounds and guiding them, the Leaf shinobi made quick work of the patrolling Sound ninja. By the pairs, the enemy was dealt with swiftly, effectively, and most important, quietly. Not a single enemy had been aware of their impending demise before it was too late.

After all members of his team had reported to him of their success, Errol contacted Kidomaru via an earpiece walkie talkie.

"Kidomaru, this is Errol. All surrounding enemy shinobi have been dealt with. You are now clear to proceed."

"Roger that. Now moving on to Phase 2." Kidomaru replied before dispersing Kyodaigumo.

After making the _Ram _hand sign, Kidomaru concentrated and began to draw power from his Curse Mark. Within moments, the change began. As he succumbed to the foul chakra of his Curse Mark, Kidomaru's skin quickly became noticeably darker, his canine teeth and fingernails elongated, horns grew from his head, the white part of his eyes turned black, his irides became yellow, and his hair grew significantly before turning a grayish color. Within mere moments, Kidomaru had become what could simply be described as a monster straight out of horror movie.

'_Guess I won't be needing this piece of crap of anymore.' _Kidomaru thought to himself as he removed his Sound headband and discarded it, revealing a third eye on his forehead. Seeing with the third eye's telescopic vision, Kidomaru was able to zoom in on the entrance to Otogakure even from his spot in the trees, and judged the distance to be at least 50 meters ahead.

Using his (*****)Spider Sticky Gold secreted from his mouth, Kidomaru quickly formed the material into a giant war bow before crouching down on one knee for better accuracy. He then secreted more of his Spider Sticky Gold from his mouth, though this time in the shape of an arrow, adding a drill to the arrowhead to increase the force of impact.

"Alright boys and girls," Kidomaru said as he pulled back on the bow and took aim, "it's _GAME ON!_"

With unmatched precision and accuracy, Kidomaru released his grip and sent the arrow ripping through the forest, easily tearing through the trees and anything else unlucky to be in its path. The drill on the arrowhead prevented any sort of change to its trajectory, so it lost no momentum even as it tore through tree after tree.

Only moments after being released, the arrow plowed into the entrance door that lead to the underground base of Otogakure, blowing it to pieces and sending a loud _BOOM _echoing throughout the forest.**  
**

Upon hearing the destruction of the entrance to Otogakure, Team 2 rushed forward through the trees, leaving Kidomaru behind to provide any needed cover fire. Since any outside interference had been taken care of, there was really no rush, so they traveled at a leisurely pace.

By the time they actually arrived at the clearing, the battle had already begun. As expected, the explosion from the impact had roused the majority of the underground Sound shinobi to the surface, instantly on the alert. Following the plan, Team 1 rushed into the middle as soon as they'd heard the impact. Since they were closer, they reached the clearing first and met the enemy head on as they'd emerged from underground. Their job was to hold the enemy off while Team 2 infiltrated.

Needless to say, Shikamaru's plan was working perfectly. Sounds of shouting and metal hitting metal filled the forest as Leaf and Sound clashed with kunai knives and swords. The once green grass was stained bright crimson with fresh blood as Team 2 rushed onto the battlefield and bee-lined straight for the gaping entrance, Kimimaro and his crew in the lead. After having to fight their way through the crowd here and there, the infiltration team successfully breached the entrance and began their search for Orochimaru.

Ironically, the last member of Team 2 to arrive on the battlefield was Sasuke. Ever the opportunist, Sasuke had chosen to hang back a bit and allowed the others to clear a safe path before finally charging forward himself, sword drawn. Coming to his aid was Kidomaru, who effortlessly shot down any enemy that wandered into Sasuke's path with a precise head shot.

'_Thanks, Kidomaru. Guess I owe you one after this._' Sasuke thought to himself as he ran down the staircase and emerged into Otogakure for the first time. What he saw made him almost stop completely in his tracks.

Instead coming upon an underground city as he had imagined, Sasuke instead found himself in the largest corridor he'd ever seen in his life. Both sides of the corridor were lined with doors that lead to individual bedrooms, which Sasuke assumed were the sleeping quarters for the enemy shinobi. Also along both walls were numerous lit candles, providing the only source of lighting. The dimly lit corridor seemed to go on for miles, branching off every now and again to lead down a different hallway.

No different than on the surface, the carnage continued. The sounds of fighting rang out through the endless corridors, along with the anguished cries of the dying and wounded. The stone walls and floor were smeared with fresh blood as shinobi, both Leaf and Sound, met their end at one another's blades. The bodies were scattered all around him like lambs to the slaughterhouse.

As his anger grew from watching his comrades die, Sasuke voluntarily allowed the Curse Mark to come to life. Within mere moments, the black flame pattern had spread to cover his entire body. Just as his older brother had done when he'd murdered their clan, Sasuke killed any trace of humanity within himself and instead replaced it with the will to murder.

With lightning chakra surging through his sword, Sasuke made his way down the corridor and brutally executed every Sound shinobi he came across as he began his search for Orochimaru. While some of his victims pleaded for their lives, Sasuke paid them no mind and killed them regardless. To him, these men were nothing more than animals, one of the many things in life Sasuke hated anyway. And though he acted to satisfy his own lust for blood, Sasuke did managed to inadvertently save the lives of many of his allies along the way.

Frustrated, Sasuke searched room after room, dragging out any cowardly Sound shinobi that may have been trying to hide and butchering them in the hallway. Though he did a great service for the battle effort, his real target was nowhere to be found. And his team, keeping in contact through the use of earpiece walkie talkies, were having no such luck either.

"Orochimaru! Where are you, coward!" Sasuke yelled in frustration after vertically slicing open an enemy ninja.

As he voiced his anger, Sasuke became of aware of an ominous melody floating through the air. Because it was further down another hallway, the sound was faint, but Sasuke managed to hear it over the sounds of fighting. Though he continued on his path of death, Sasuke followed the melody, letting it lead him down several other hallways.

As he got closer to the melody, there were a couple things that Sasuke noticed. For starters, the corridors were becoming more and more deserted. Eventually, there was nothing around him but the bodies of the fallen. Secondly, he noticed that all of the bodies had their heads missing. Curious, Sasuke continued on his way. As he turned the corner, what he saw made him stop in his tracks and raise an eyebrow.

A large crowd of Sound ninja were making their way toward two figures at the dead end of the corridor, both of which Sasuke recognized as Kimimaro and Tayuya, the latter playing her flute. As the Sound ninja advanced forward, Sasuke noticed that something was very off. They staggered like zombies and carried the same blank expression, as though they were in some kind of trance. Suddenly, all at the same time, their heads exploded, coating the walls with a combination blood and brain.

'_So that explains all the headless bodies.' _Sasuke thought to himself as the Curse Mark receded._  
_

"Do you like it, Uchiha? It's a jutsu I created myself." Tayuya said as she took her flute away from her lips. "I call it the _Melody of Death_. Any dumbass within close enough range falls under a powerful hypnosis jutsu. All I have to do after that is play a certain note and...well you saw what happens."

"I don't care. Where is Orochimaru? I can feel him, but I cannot pinpoint his location for some reason." Sasuke said, ignoring the dark look Tayuya was giving him.

"A jamming jutsu is in effect, one that only Orochimaru can release. As long as it is active, you will not be able to track him." Kimimaro explained.

"Then where is he?" Sasuke asked again, growing impatient.

"He and Kabuto are probably trying to make a run for it near the arena. Fortunately for you, the time he has in his current body is almost up, so the motherfucker shouldn't be able to put up that much of a fight. I'm sure that really disappoints you." Tayuya said.

'_You have no idea...' _"Take me to him anyway. This mission is not over until he is dead." Sasuke replied.

"You happen to be in luck, Sasuke. Tayuya and I were just on our way to handle him, and then Kabuto afterwards. We'd be more than happy to assist you." said Kimimaro.

"No. I will be the one to kill Orochimaru. I've waited too long for this. Besides, you already said he is in a weakened state."

"Orochimaru is still dangerous, even if he is weakened. Even someone like you is gonna need help." Tayuya objected.

"I agree with Tayuya. It would be best if you called in some more support." Kimimaro agreed.

"No, my own power is sufficient enough. I have a score to settle with him for attacking my squad during the Chunin Exams, and I am more than capable of holding my own. Besides, I have grown stronger than him since then." Sasuke assured them.

Tayuya sighed before she and Kimimaro transformed into the 2nd Stage of their Curse Marks. "You really are a stubborn bastard. Fine, have it your way. Me and Kimimaro will take Kabuto, and you handle Orochimaru. Deal?"

"Deal. Now, lead the way."

As he followed Kimimaro and Tayuya deeper within the bowels of Otogakure, Sasuke began to secretly reconsider calling in backup. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to meet up with Kakashi and have him on standby just in case something did go wrong. In the end, however, he shook the thought from his mind. If he'd been able to go against Orochimaru on his own in the Forest of Death, then he was more than a match now that the snake Sannin was in a weakened state. Kakashi would simply have to get over it.

Sasuke continued running with Kimimaro and Tayuya, through the maze of corridors and down a dark staircase before finally emerging into the uppermost lower level of Otogakure. As they made their way down the barely lit corridor, Orochimaru's presence intensified. What struck Sasuke as odd, however, were the numerous other chakra signatures that were just up ahead. As they neared the end of the hallway, frightened whispered voices could be heard, as well as indistinct shouting.

"Who're all of these other chakra signatures?" Sasuke asked. "There's hundreds of them."

"Orochimaru's prisoners. They can feel the commotion from above, and it has gotten them into an uproar. The prison cells are on the same lower level as the labs and the arena. That is where Lord Orochimaru conducts his experiments, and where Kabuto usually spends most of his time." Kimimaro said.

"Did you say arena? Why would there be an arena down here?"

"Orochimaru is very picky when it comes to choosing the right body for his soul to inhabit. He needs a strong body, and what better way to get one than by pitting his prisoners against each other in a fight to the death. Only the strongest warrior survives, and that warrior then becomes Orochimaru's new vessel. It's usually a total bloodbath." Tayuya explained.

After what felt like an eternity of running, the trio finally emerged onto the platform overlooking the arena Tayuya had been talking about. On the upper levels where the trio stood were the prison cells, surrounding the entire fighting arena. All around them were loud whispers and angry hollers and curses of the prisoners, causing Sasuke to fight the urge to wanna covers his ears due to the echoes. It seemed none of the prisoners had even acknowledged the presence of the new arrivals, and the trio quickly discovered why.

There, making his way across the arena to a doorway on the other side with help from his spectacled assistant, was the man who embodied evil itself. Although his clothing was different, consisting of a mahogany shirt with a design of two white snakes on the back of the sleeves and black pants, the waist-length black hair was a dead give away. Sasuke's blood boiled at the very sight of seeing the monster known as Orochimaru, and it took every ounce of his strength not to just charge down there. A feeling in his gut told him it wasn't as easy as it seemed, and Sasuke would've been a fool to ignore it.

As though finally sensing a disturbance, Orochimaru, with Kabuto supporting all of his weight on one shoulder, turned to look up at the new arrivals. At seeing that Kimimaro and Tayuya stood amongst the three, Kabuto's calm expression quickly turned to a mixture of surprise, disbelief, and anger all in one. At that moment, the other prisoners seemed to finally take notice of the new arrivals, and the loud yelling and cursing died down to hush whispers:

"_Huh? When did they get_ here?"

"_Hey, it's Kimimaro and Tayuya! But who's that other guy with them?_"

"_What're those two doing here? I thought they were dead._"

"Kimimaro? Tayuya? So you're the ones behind this betrayal. You traitors!" Kabuto exclaimed.

"Look who is calling the kettle black." Kimimaro retorted. "If I recall correctly, was it not you who sent a hit squad after us?

Kabuto began to grind his teeth together in frustration. '_This isn't good. Not only did they survive, but now they've brought Konoha down on us from the looks of it. Those idiot henchmen really are good for nothing, even in numbers. What's worse is that Lord Orochimaru is no condition to fight anyone right now. I've gotta find a way to get him out of here, and fast. There's no telling how much longer his current body is gonna hold out.'_

While Kabuto's mind was racing as he thought of a way to escape the present danger, Orochimaru could only smirk as he gazed up Sasuke, whose Sharingan bore into his yellow, slit pupil eyes. After all the trouble he'd gone through to finally obtain Sasuke's body, his prey had come straight to him. Orochimaru licked his lips as he returned Sasuke's glare with a look of mild delight.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said, his voice hoarse due to his weakened state. "What're you doing here with these low-life shinobi? Have you forgotten your goal to seek vengeance against your older brother? Don't you remember what he did to you, to your family?"

Sasuke remained silent, though he did raise an eyebrow as he thought back to _that _night and how he'd been so powerless to stop his brother. Ever since that night, he swore that he'd never be that helpless ever again. How could he ever forget something like that? Feeling that he'd struck a nerve in the Uchiha, Orochimaru continued.

"It's not too late to gain what you seek. Come with me, Sasuke-kun. I can give you the power you've been looking for. Ever the Forest of Death, and being able to use your Sharingan so masterfully, I knew you were something special. With me as you guide, you'll become an outstanding talent that will surpass even the likes of Itachi. With the burden you bear, you will need power, power that only I can give you. In return, your soul will live on through me and be immortalized. Your destiny lies with me, Sasuke-kun. No one is more fit to train you than me. Sever your bonds with Konoha, and I promise you the power to get the revenge you seek."

Sasuke merely stood there as Orochimaru finished speaking. Kimimaro, Tayuya, Kabuto, and Orochimaru waited in tense silence for Sasuke to respond. Not even the surrounding prisoners dared to move a muscle, for fear that they would draw unwanted attention. They did keep their fingers crossed, however, for their freedom now depended on this boy.

Suddenly, Orochimaru's eyes lit up in delight as he watched the Curse Mark come to life once more and cover Sasuke's entire body._  
_

'_Excellent! Konoha can have this pathetic little bat cave. I now have all that I need.' _Orochimaru thought, practically shaking with anticipation as he foreshadowed all that he would receive._  
_

'_I don't believe it. Lord Orochimaru actually got through to him. We may have lost the base, but oh well. It was a necessary casualty.' _Kabuto thought to himself with a satisfied grin as the _Raikiri _sparked to life in Sasuke's hand. Things were beginning to turn around already.

"Why, you fucking asshole!" Tayuya screamed in anger. "Of all the dirty tricks, you lying piece of sh-"

Before Tayuya could even finish her insult, Sasuke transformed the _Raikiri _into the _Chidori Spear _and shot it forward faster than a bullet, barely giving Orochimaru enough time to let go of Kabuto and throw his arms up in the shape of an "X" in front of him. Needless to say, the attack easily went through both of Orochimaru's arms before piercing the snake Sannin through the chest, the impact knocking him down and pinning him to the floor.

Resounding gasps could be heard throughout the arena area as the prisoners gaped in shock at what was happening. Even Tayuya grew quiet as she was left standing there dumbfounded with Kimimaro.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto cried in alarm.

"W-What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru stammered, unable to move from his position. '_This is the same jutsu he used against the Sand jinchuriki__. The electricity is paralyzing me!_'

"There is nothing I could ever learn from the likes of someone like you, Orochimaru." Sasuke said in a dark tone, the air around him growing cold. "I don't need you teach me how to become heartless. It seems I can do that on my own."

As his aura continued to become just as dark as his tone, Sasuke charged the _Chidori Spear _with more lightning chakra, watching with satisfaction as Orochimaru hollered and screamed in agony as he was electrocuted.

"Stop this! Stop it right now!" Kabuto hollered angrily, feeling helpless at being unable to come to his master's aid.

Sasuke scoffed, but ceased his torture nonetheless. "Orochimaru, you are weaker than me. Therefore, there would be no point in me giving you my body, not even for the sake of revenge."

"Big words for a mere Uchiha hatchling!" Orochimaru spat.

Sasuke scoffed again. "If I wasn't a hatchling, I never would've considered seeking you out, right? During our fight in the Forest of Death, you repulsively evaluated the worth of this hatchling, calling me your _prey_. That is why you put your leash on me, the Curse Mark. However, it wasn't enough. You wanted to make sure I came to you, which is why you tried to have Kimimaro influence me. It is true that I still do seek revenge, and I once thought discarding my body was worth it. However, I have a new resolve now, a new reason to become stronger. And that reason is the one you refer to as the _Nine-Tails Brat_."

At hearing this bit, Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock. That blonde haired child! To think, after so much planning and going so far as to give Sasuke the _Curse Seal of Heaven_, Orochimaru would lose Sasuke to _him _of all people! Before Orochimaru could voice his disgust, however, a sudden surge of electricity had him snapping his mouth back closed.

"You disgust me, Orochimaru. Perhaps the world did consider you a genius, but someone like you could never reach the level of an Uchiha. Before my last name, your methods of obtaining the power of an Uchiha are laughable at best. For you own selfish reasons, you view people as toys and continue to play with their lives, just like a certain someone else I plan to kill. You've even gone so far as to drug and transfer your own body. And all for what? The Sharingan, an ability that you will never have. Your entire existence is nothing but a mistake, but I intend to correct it!"

As the _Lightning Style Armor _burst to life around his body, Sasuke rushed forward faster than the untrained eye could follow and drove his fist into Orochimaru's stomach with earth-shattering force. The impact was strong enough to not only crater Orochimaru into the ground, but also knocked Kabuto clear to the other side of the room and bouncing off the wall.

When the smoke and dust finally cleared away, Sasuke stood over what looked liked a deflated Orochimaru. Puzzled, Sasuke was about to poke at the snake Sannin's lifeless body when he suddenly felt an enormous, ominous chakra behind him. Casually turning around, Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he gazed up at what appeared to be a gigantic white serpent made up of a multitude of smaller white snakes. Although his body form had changed, the beast was still undoubtedly Orochimaru, although with spiky black hair, a scaled face complete with snake-like teeth and a long tongue, black eye markings, and a pointed chin.

Even despite the great danger that he was now faced with, Sasuke showed little emotion other than annoyance.

"So this is your true form: a white-scaled serpent." Sasuke said as he unsheathed his sword. "In order to transfer from body to body, you've repeatedly experimented, and in the end, this is how you turned out? You're not even human anymore."

'_So that's Lord Orochimaru's true form... Even I have to admit, I never thought it would be this fearsome.' _Kabuto thought as he shakily rose to his feet._  
_

"Now then, Sasuke-kun, I'll have that body of yours!" Orochimaru hissed in his raspy voice as he lunged forward, releasing some of his snakes in the process as Sasuke leaped into the air to avoid the attack.

Sasuke effortlessly cut down his attackers in midair before landing safely behind Orochimaru, only to be attacked by more white snakes as the giant serpent turned around with an angry hiss and lunged again. With the _Lightning Style Armor _stimulating his nervous system and quickening his reflexes, Sasuke was easily able to avoid Orochimaru's attacks while at the same time cutting down his "minions" as they came at him again and again.

Finally seeing an opening, Sasuke timed the moment just right before he leaped backwards and quickly went through the necessary hand signs for a Fire Style technique.

"_Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!_"

After making the last hand sign, Sasuke blew a multitude of molten fireballs from his mouth before unexpectedly dashing forward with a burst speed, just as his attack hit and incinerated the incoming snakes. Orochimaru, who'd been momentarily blinded as a couple fireballs hit him in the face as he'd lunged, had no way of avoiding Sasuke's attack as the Uchiha's fist caught him in between the eyes with enough force that would've killed him had he been in his normal form, sending him crashing headfirst into the wall behind him.

Up above, the prisoners hooted and hollered as they watched the battle unfold below, cheering Sasuke on as the fight began to turn more in his favor. After so long, their freedom was finally close at hand.

"This isn't looking good. Sasuke is moving too fast for even Lord Orochimaru's true form to keep up. I have to do something fast before this turns even uglier." Kabuto said to himself before beginning the hand signs for the _Earth Style: Hidden Mole Jutsu_.

Before Kabuto could complete the last hand sign, however, he was forced to move out of the way as a barrage of finger bullets struck the ground where he once stood. A moment later, Kimimaro and Tayuya appeared to block his way.

"We will not allow you to fight a battle that is not yours, Kabuto. If you must do battle, however, it will be with us." Kimimaro said in a cold tone.

Kabuto let out a growl of annoyance, but nonetheless went through a set of hand signs and formed the _Chakra Scalpel _in both hands. "Fine. Have it your way..."

Sasuke watched as Orochimaru slowly rose from the rubble of the destroyed wall, gazing hungrily at him with his slit pupil eyes. Just by looking at him, Sasuke was filled with complete disgust. To think he'd actually considered giving his body to such a low form of life...it sickened him. As Orochimaru unleashed another wave of his bothersome snakes, Sasuke showed no fear. Instead, he showed only a mixture of anger and annoyance at the thought of how such garbage had managed to evade death for so long...

With Orochimaru's snakes surrounding him from all sides and the snake Sannin himself attacking from above, Sasuke merely closed his and concentrated his chakra from deep within before allowing it to explode out of him in a huge burst of lightning chakra. Instantly, the multitude of snakes were torn apart by the intense energy and the powerful arcs of electricity sliced Orochimaru clean in half in three places. With a cry of defeat, Orochimaru's head hit the ground at Sasuke's feet with a hard _THUMP _and he lay lifeless.

"Are we finished already? How disappointing." Sasuke said as he raised his sword to make sure Orochimaru was really dead. "I was hoping one of the Legendary Sannin would've put up more of a fight than this."

As he prepared to deliver the deathblow, however, Sasuke suddenly became very light-headed right before his body was hit with wave after wave of intense pain. Suddenly left with almost no strength, Sasuke dropped to one knee just as the _Lightning Style Armor _flickered before going out completely. As Sasuke struggled to even breathe, Orochimaru began to chuckle.

"It looks like it's finally starting to take effect." Orochimaru said, picking up what was left of his body to look at Sasuke.

"What the hell did you..." Sasuke trailed off as his body was hit with another wave of pain.

"When the body fluids of this Great White Snake evaporate into the air, they turn into a paralyzing drug. By slaying my snakes, you were only sealing your own fate! Now you understand, Sasuke-kun. I am immortal! Even with your impressive power, you still cannot kill me." Orochimaru explained.

'_That bastard. No wonder this fight seemed so easy. He was intentionally letting his snakes be cut down just so he could release their body fluids. I don't see how I didn't pick up on this earlier.' _Sasuke thought to himself in frustration. He attempted to stand, but gave up when it became apparent that it was futile. He could just barely move his pinky finger, let alone his entire body. Sasuke mentally slapped himself a thousand times for being overconfident in himself. He was fighting one of the Legendary Sannin, so of course the simplicity of the battle should've been a dead giveaway. It was a careless mistake, and now it was about to cost him._  
_

"Now..." Orochimaru said as he rose to tower above Sasuke, "I shall have you, Sasuke-kun!"

With his body paralyzed, Sasuke was left helpless as Orochimaru lunged at him again for the final time. An image of Naruto was the last thing that passed through his mind before he was engulfed...

* * *

Darkness surrounded Sasuke on all sides as he looked around him. There was nothing for as far as he could see, only never-ending darkness. Looking down, Sasuke was both confused and disturbed at seeing that the ground he stood on wasn't even ground at all. Rather, it appeared to be living flesh. It squirmed and pulsed underneath his feet, making lewd squishing sounds as it sloshed and moved against itself. Sasuke cringed slightly in disgust.

"What is this place?" Sasuke asked aloud to no one in particular.

"This a dimension that exists within me. This is where the _Rebirth Ritual _takes place." said Orochimaru's voice, echoing in the never-ending empty space of whatever dimension they were in.

Suddenly, Orochimaru rose up from the fleshy ground, completely covered in fleshy material himself, save for his face. "Now then, let us begin."

Looking down again, Sasuke raised an eyebrow in mild interest as the living ground beneath him quickly engulfed his feet before he could have a chance to move. Gradually, it continued to engulf more of him until his body was completely enveloped in it except for his face, much like Orochimaru. Surprisingly, the fleshy material wasn't as slimy as Sasuke originally thought it would feel, though that doesn't mean it still didn't make his skin crawl upon contact.

"The power of those eyes...absolutely wonderful!" Orochimaru said as he ghosted his way over to Sasuke, gazing deeply into the Sharingan as he connected himself and Sasuke together via a fleshy cord that extended from his body. "Those eyes of yours, Sasuke-kun... Those eyes will soon be mine!"

As he prepared his soul to dominate Sasuke's body, Orochimaru halted the procedure as Sasuke's fleshy cocoon began to turn black as the Curse Mark suddenly began to spread throughout the Uchiha's body. Within a few seconds, it had spread to Orochimaru's cocoon as well before beginning to spread even more at an alarmingly rapid pace.

"What! But...this is impossible!" Orochimaru cried in despair as the effect of the Curse Mark continued to spread faster than an out of control wildfire, transforming the entire landscape from fleshy pink to a nightmarish, charcoal black. Sasuke's own cocoon, meanwhile, began to slowly recede before finally receding completely, freeing Sasuke from his restraints. '_This isn't possible__. Sasuke-kun's will is corrupting the entire dimension! That can't be! I created this dimension, he can't turn it against me like this!_'

As the Curse Mark's influence completely took over Orochimaru's dimension, the dark intentions of Sasuke's will personified itself in the form of a gigantic monster with a mouthful of pointed teeth that rose up from the black, flesh-like ground, letting out a hideous roar as it towered above the snake Sannin, blasting him with its breath.

"It's as I told you before, Orochimaru. Before my eyes, all of your jutsu are... Well, I'm sure you get the idea by now." Sasuke said with a smirk as his creation let out another demonic roar.

With wavering eyes that looked as if there about to pop out of his head, Orochimaru gazed up at the hideous monstrosity with a mixture of both awe and, for the first time since his fight with his late sensei, genuine fear.

"No, this can't be! You can't do this to me! I am Orochimaru, the Immortal. I am the one that will reveal the answers to this generation, not you! I am the one that will inherit everything in this world! I will inherit it all!"

In his final moments, Orochimaru let out one last cry of anguish just as his soul was devoured.

**(*) Kidomaru uses technique to harden the golden metal that releases like sweat. The weapons created from this process form the core of his style of fighting. This metal hardens like steel upon contact with air, so by chewing it in his mouth and changing its shape, Kidōmaru can create weapons appropriate to each battle. Because it instantly hardens, direct attacks from a distance are possible.**


End file.
